US-based service provider seeks details in Parra case; police sends replies

According to officials, they had recently submitted the replies sought by authorities seeking further details about Parra's involvement which included proof for linking the emails to jailed PDP leader

Google has sought more details from the Jammu and Kashmir Police on its demand of records related to email exchanges of Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, a close aide of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, in connection with his alleged links with Pakistan-based secessionist leaders and terrorists, officials said here on Sunday.

According to officials, they had recently submitted the replies sought by the authorities seeking further details about Parra's involvement which included the proof for linking the emails to the jailed PDP leader.

The charge sheet, filed by the Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) wing of police in June this year, had said Parra used to share information through several email services, of which three have been brought on record.

"Accordingly, a request has been forwarded through proper channels to Google US as per their standard forms and norms for providing details/contents of emails exchanged by Parra through his three email IDs," the 19-page charge sheet said.

The officials said the US-based company had raised some questions before executing the request and after the same had been replied to recently.

Once the information is received, the CIK branch will file a supplementary charge sheet, they added.

Parra's lawyer as well as the PDP denied all the allegations calling them "politically motivated".

Charging Parra under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, police had said in its charge sheet that the US authorities have been approached through the medium of Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) via the Ministry of External Affairs for providing necessary assistance in the case.

Google US has been requested to preserve the data of the emails (of Parra) and Google has conveyed compliance," the charge sheet said.

The CIK, which is a part of the Jammu and Kashmir Police's CID, has also asked Google to provide WhatsApp chats and data stored in the Google Drive or cloud account connected to Parra's mobile phone and the information is expected to be received soon, officials said.

The charge sheet had alleged that there was a prima facie evidence "sufficient to launch prosecution" against Parra for establishing a nexus with terrorists to seek their backing for his political gains and reciprocating by way of providing a range of help and support which led to terror strikes.

Parra was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in November last year.

In January this year, Parra was granted bail by the NIA court in Jammu but was immediately detained by the CIK and brought to Srinagar, and at present, he is in judicial custody.

In March this year, he was charge sheeted by the NIA, and it was alleged that Parra had paid Rs 5 crore to the son-in-law of hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani for keeping Kashmir in turmoil after the death of Burhan Wani, the poster boy of the Hizbul Mujahideen, in 2016.

The CIK had filed a case last year against unknown politicians and others based on reliable and confidential sources who said some political functionaries were misusing their power and helping militants.