MHA seeks US aid in probing PDP youth wing chief Waheed Parra’s role in terror conspiracy

Trouble seems to be mounting for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) youth wing chief Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra. Investigators are now scanning WhatsApp chats and email conversations of Parra. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has even written to the United States for Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) assistance in the case. The J&K government has told the court that Parra's links with Pakistan-based terrorists from Hizbul Mujahideen and Al Badr have been established during an investigation carried out by the investigation agency.

The investigation agency is now probing the Whatsapp and email accounts of Parra as they suspect 'enough credible and incriminating evidence' from the same. On the request of the investigation agency, MHA has also requested for MLAT from the US. The agency suspects that exchange of emails and WhatsApp conversations of Parra are detrimental to the sovereignty of India, which needs to be probed thoroughly to expose any sinister plot.

Terming Parra's actions as 'disgrace to any democracy in the world', Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) through its counsel said that Parra in order to protect and promote the narrow personal and political interests has systematically invigorated himself and his party by establishing his roots with Pakistan and with its sinister agencies; that the accused is a saga of deceit and double dealings and his activities over the year has been prejudicial to Indian integrity and sovereignty.

"Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, in the past, has been using the new-age technology (VoIP-based end-to-end encrypted messaging applications) to contact elements within the country and across who are diversely connected with or suspected to be connected with terrorist/secessionist networks. It is through VoIP application SIGNAL that the accused got in touch with the dreaded terrorist Naveed Babu," the govt told the court.

The court was also informed that data retrieved from the mobile phone of Parra has revealed that he has received messages from Pakistan numbers on October 26, 2020, around 6:50pm and on August 5, 2002, around 14:56pm and 14:57pm, respectively, on his cell phone. Parra telephonically got in touch with Al Badr terrorist operative using PAK and J&K GSM network. He was allegedly in contact with Masood @ Rahter Masood and at the  same time the said Masood @ Rather Masood was in contact with Al Badr terrorists operative Hamza Burhan.

The exchange of emails with Pakistan-based separatist leaders have also come before the investigators. The investigation further revealed that Parra has exchanged emails with secessionist elements, namely GM Safi, who lives in Pakistan and is the chairman of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, and Altaf Ahmad Shah (now deceased), son-in-law of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, as is evident by the contact of an email that came to be known discreetly. These emails exchanged between applicant/accused and Pak-based operatives received by the applicant/accused are allegedly not only suspicious but seditious in nature.