NEW DELHI, March 15 (Xinhua) -- India's anti-terror agency National Investigation Agency (NIA) has issued fresh summon to key separatist leader and chief cleric of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, police said on Friday.

Farooq has been asked to appear before the probe agency on March 18.

"NIA yesterday issued fresh summon to Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to appear for questioning at the probe agency headquarters in New Delhi on March 18," a police official said.

Earlier, the agency had asked Farooq to appear on Monday (March 11) but he expressed his inability to join the investigation in Delhi fearing for his security in view of "conditions of hostility."

Farooq's counsel said in a letter to NIA that they can question him in Srinagar and his client was willing to cooperate with agency as "he has nothing to hide."

Earlier this month, NIA team raided Farooq's residence in Nigeen area of Srinagar.

According to officials, he has been summoned in a 2017 alleged funding case.