New Delhi, March 1 (IANS) Hardline Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani was Tuesday stopped at the Delhi airport Tuesday by the police, who took him for questioning in a money laundering case.
The Delhi Police Special Cell stopped Geelani before he was to board a flight to Srinagar Tuesday morning, an officer said.
‘A team of Delhi Police approached Geelani at Delhi airport and reminded him of the police order that he couldn’t leave the capital before questioning in the hawala (money laundering) case. He complied and was taken to the Special Cell office in Lodhi Road for questioning,’ Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat told IANS.
The Delhi Police last month had asked Geelani, who heads the hardline faction of the separatist Hurriyat Conference, not to leave the capital as he was still being probed in the case.
After investigations in the money laundering case, Delhi Police had arrested four people allegedly associated with the Hizbul Mujahideen, a banned terrorist organisation. The four nabbed on Jan 22 were Mohammad Siddiq Ganai, Ghulam Gilani Laloo, Farooq Ahmed Dagga and Ghulam Mohammad Bhatt, all from Jammu and Kashmir.
Ghulam Mohammad Bhatt told the police of his association and financial dealings with Geelani.
‘To clarify certain issues, a letter was sent to Geelani on Feb 17 to meet the investigating officer regarding the matter. Geelani expressed his inability due to medical reasons,’ a police officer said.
Police sent another letter asking Geelani to indicate a date and time convenient to him.
‘He was also asked not to leave Delhi till he was been examined in connection with the investigation of the case,’ the officer added.
