The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on August 30 "examined" leading Delhi-based cardiologist and Batra Hospital Chairman Upendra Kaul in the ongoing terror funding case registered by the agency in 2017.

"Kaul was summoned as a witness. He was examined on August 30 (Friday)," said a senior NIA official requesting anonymity. According to the officer, Kaul was examined in the terror funding case on the basis of electronic evidence. The NIA's move followed Kaul's criticism of the Centre's decision of abrogating the Constitution's Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and an SMS exchange with Kashmiri separatist Yasin Malik, who is in Delhi's Tihar jail in the terror funding case.

It is learnt that the NIA may have mistaken the blood report value for "hawala money". One of the messages said "Blood Report Value INR 2.78" - INR being Internationalised Normalised Ratio. Sources said that NIA may have interpreted INR as Indian rupees, and so, assumed "Rs. 2.78 crore in hawala money". Kaul was questioned over half and hour and then allowed to go, said the sources. Currently chairman of Batra Heart Centre, Kaul established cardiology units at several hospitals in the government and private sector, including at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, and the Fortis chain of hospitals.