Geelani quizzed over Pak visa to LeT man

The Delhi Police on Wednesday questioned separatist Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani for recommending the name of alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative Ahtesham Malik for a Pakistani visa.

The Delhi Police on Wednesday questioned separatist Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani for recommending the name of alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative Ahtesham Malik for a Pakistani visa.

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Hinduatan Times had first reported that the special cell of Delhi Police would question Geelani in this regard on March 1.

The police had arrested Ahtemsham and two other alleged LeT operatives for allegedly planning a blast in Chandi Chownk's cloth market and a State Bank of India branch in Srinagar.

According to sources, Ahtesham had gone to Pakistan in December 2011 on a valid passport. Geelani had recommended his name for visa. The special cell officials wanted to know in what circumstances had Geelani made the recommendation, sources said.

The police had also served a notice to Geelani in this regard. “Geelani has denied knowledge regarding the motive of Ahtesham’s visit to Pakistan. He said Ahtesham had come to him with a valid passport and a passport is issued only after enquiring into the antecedents of the applicant,” said a source.

The separatist leader has always maintained that he recommends many Kashmiris for visa for Pakistan like he did in the case of Ahtesham.