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Updated: Mar 18, 2019 22:11 IST

For the second time this month Kashmiri separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq skipped a summon by the National Investigation Agency for questioning at its New Delhi headquarters on Monday in a terror funding case citing security reasons and insisted that he was willing to be quizzed in Srinagar.

The Mirwaiz who is also the chairman of moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference was issued summons for the second time to appear before the NIA at its Delhi headquarters on Monday in connection with a 2017 terror funding case.

His counsel Ajaz Ahmad Dhar wrote to the NIA saying, “Your attention is invited to some of the distressing comments which have appeared in the mainstream print media since the news of his summons to New Delhi. There are open calls for his assassination. Having regard to the comments, merely stating in the notice that security will be provided appears to be perfunctory observation.”

“My client is willing and was always willing to be examined by the agency. It is once again urged that such examination and sitting be held at Srinagar. It will avoid all adverse consequences.”

Also read: Valley groups call NIA summons of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq an interference

An NIA spokesperson did not take calls when HT tried to contact him to seek the agency’s reaction.

The Mirwaiz had earlier skipped an appearance on March 11.

Dhar had then written to the NIA citing various reasons including security why the Mirwaiz could not appear at the NIA headquarters. He had said in the letter that the notice in appeared to have been issued on the basis of fallacious assumptions and misinformation solely aimed at maligning the Mirwaiz-i-Kashmir (Farooq), knowing his status and position.

The NIA is investigating a case related to funding of terror and separatist organisations in Kashmir through hawala channels. The agency last month carried out a series of raids on separatists, including the Mirwaiz.