NIA arrests journalist Irfan Mehraj in Kashmir

SRINAGAR — A Kashmir-based journalist was arrested by National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday morning. The journalist in question is Irfan Mehraj.

Reports said that a special team of NIA from New Delhi raided his house in Mehjoor Nagar, Srinagar and arrested him.

The LinkedIn profile of Irfan Mehraj reads, “I am an independent journalist and researcher based in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir (India). My work has appeared in TRT World, Indian Express, The Caravan, Kashmir Life, Kashmir Reader, Greater Kashmir among others.”

Suchitra Vijayan – the author of “Midnight’s Borders” in a tweet informed that Kashmiri journalist Irfan Meraj was arrested by the National Investigation Agency under draconian UAPA in Srinagar today. “He has been moved to Delhi,” she said, adding that Irfan is a reporter and the founding editor of Wande Magazine.

An unnamed journalist, quoted by the news agency KNT, said that Irfan had worked at different media houses in Kashmir. He said currently Irfan is an Editor at TwoCircles.net.

Meanwhile, the news agency KDC, while quoting ‘official sources’, confirmed the arrest of Mehraj and said he has been arrested for investigation by NIA in case FIR No. RC-37/2020 registered at NIA Delhi.

The report, while quoting the sources, further said, “Credible information was received by the Central Government that certain NGOs, Trusts and Societies, registered as well as unregistered, are collecting funds domestically and abroad through donations, business contributions etc. in the name of charity and various welfare activities such as public health, education etc. Some of these NGOs have links with proscribed terrorist organizations such as Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) etc.”

“Further, funds collected by such NGOs, Trusts and Societies are sent to Jammu & Kashmir through various channels such as cash couriers, Hawala traders based in Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir and other parts of India to sustain the secessionist and terrorist activities in Kashmir Valley, as a part of a larger criminal conspiracy hatched by these NGOs, Trusts and Societies etc., prejudicial to the unity, integrity, sovereignty and security of India,” sources said.

They further said these NGOs, Trusts and Societies and their members, by words and written means, publish anti-national and incriminating material to bring into hatred, contempt and disaffection towards the Government of India.

Pertinently, Irfan was questioned in this case earlier as well, sources said, adding that on Monday evening, the journalist was formally arrested and was moved to New Delhi.