Zahoor Watali Got Sharif for Modis Swearing In

SrinagarKashmiri businessman, Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali has baffled the NIA when he said to his interrogators that he was instrumental in bringing former Pakistan Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif to India for Narendra Modis swearing in as PM in 2014, Mumbai based daily DNA reported on Saturday.

However the report quoting NIA officials said these are classic criminal tactics that such persons use.

We have seen many such cases and hence this comes as no surprise to us, report quoting NIA officials said.

Watali was arrested a day after NIA raided several locations in Srinagar, Handwara, Kupwara and Baramulla that belong to his relatives and employees. Watali is the 8th person to be arrested in the alleged Kashmir terror funding case. He is being questioned in New Delhi.

Watali was earlier arrested in 1990 by the Jammu & Kashmir police. He was taken into custody along with JKLF leader Yasin Malik, Sajad Gani Lone, Bilal Lone and others, and was jailed for eight months at Jammu.

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Sources said NIA sought his custody and informed a Delhi court on Friday that the terror funding syndicate had international links and he needs to be confronted with various other key players. NIA was granted 10-day custody for further investigation.

NIA registered a case on May 30 this year to probe links of separatist leaders of Hurriyat Conference. The larger conspiracy of burning schools, stone pelting and waging war against India is also part of the investigation following confession by senior leader Nayeem Khan in a TV sting operation.

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