The R&AW double agent who helped fund the Kashmir unrest

It may be recalled that OneIndia had reported on August 18 2016 how Kashmiri businessmen in Saudi Arabia were helping fund the separatists.

The National Investigation Agency on the hot pursuit of a double agent who may have been the link between Pakistan and the separatists. Nasir Shafi Mir who was once roped in by Indian agencies to be a go in between for the Hizbul Mujahideen also worked for the ISI.

Mir was arrested in February 2006 at Delhi. He was released one year later on bail and has been absconding since. The 45 year old was enlisted by both the Research and Analysis Wing as well as the Intelligence Bureau. It was however known that he was linked to the ISI.

He was roped in when the Indian Government tried to negotiate with the Hizbul Mujahideen. This was back in 2000 when the IB had enlisted him to bring Syed Ali Shah Salahuddin to the talks table.

He even met with the then Union Home Secretary Kamal Pandey in Srinagar. The talks however did not go through. The officer notes that he was considered to be useful for India. However it was found that he was more beneficial for the Pakistanis. The Indian agencies had also found that he was helping Pakistan channelise money to the separatists in Kashmir. Mir now has a Pakistani passport. He regularly shuttles between Pakistan and Gulf where he has business interests.

He had some usefulness for now an officer in the know of the episode told OneIndia. We were aware that he was linked with the ISI. He was useful for us at that time and hence he was enlisted the officer also said.

The NIA has now learnt that Mir the son of a wealthy carpet businessman from Kashmir has been channelling funds for the separatist leaders in the Valley. The NIA is conducting a probe in this regard and has unearthed several documents which suggest that the Lashkar-e-Tayiba has been pumping in funds into accounts of separatists to fund the unrest in the Valley.

Mir is currently believed to be in the Gulf where he runs a business. The NIA suspects that he could be the main person involved in the money trail. Several probes have revealed that Kashmiri businessmen from Saudi and other Gulf nations have been channelling funds into the Valley.

It may be recalled that OneIndia had reported on August 18 2016 how Kashmiri businessmen in Saudi Arabia were helping fund the separatists.

OneIndia News