NIA arrests J&K rights activist Khurram Parvez

THE NATIONAL Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday arrested human rights activist Khurram Parvez in Srinagar in connection with a case filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), including terror funding.

Earlier in the day, the NIA raided Parvez’s residence and also carried out searches at the office of the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) in Srinagar. Parvez is the programme coordinator of the JKCCS, a federation of human rights groups and individuals working in J&K founded in 2000 by human rights lawyer and activist Parvez Imroz.

While Parvez was initially detained for questioning, the NIA formally arrested him in the evening. The arrest memo says he was arrested in the case, FIR RC-30/2021/NIA/DLI filed on November 6, under IPC Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 121 (waging, attempting to wage, abetting waging of war against the government), and 121A (conspiracy to commit offences punishable by Section 121); and Sections 17 (raising funds for terrorist act), 18 (conspiracy), 18B (recruiting of any person or persons for terrorist act) and 40 (raising funds for a terrorist organisation) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Sources said Parvez’s family was informed about his arrest in the evening, and he is likely to be taken to New Delhi on Tuesday. The arrest memo says his brother, Sheikh Shaharyar, was informed about his arrest.