Terror Funding Case: NIA raids at 16 locations in J&K

Srinagar : The National Investigating Agency (NIA) on Thursday morning carried out raids at several locations across Jammu & Kashmir in connection with an ongoing probe in a terror funding case.

Official sources told that the National Investigating Agency (NIA) accompanied conducted raids at several places across the Jammu and Kashmir.

An NIA spokesman in a statement said that as part of its continuing crackdown on terror funding in Jammu and Kashmir, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches at multiple locations in a case related to separatist and secessionist activities of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI).

“JeI has been found carrying out terror funding activities in Jammu and Kashmir, even after being declared an unlawful association under the UA(P) Act on 28th February 2019. NIA had filed a chargesheet in the case (RC-03/2021/NIA/DLI) in Special Court, Patiala House, New Delhi, on 12th May 2022 against four accused. It had earlier registered a suo motu case in the matter on 5th February 2021,” the statement said.

It said that the searches were conducted at the premises of JeI (J&K) members and supporters, at 16 locations, including 11 in District Baramulla in Kashmir valley and the remaining 5 located in District Kishtwar in Jammu region. “Several incriminating materials and digital devices were seized during the searches and were being examined for more clues in the case,” the statement said. “NIA investigations so far have revealed that JeI (J&K) members had been collecting funds domestically and from abroad through donations, particularly in the form of zakat, mowda and bait-ul-mal, as well as for purported charitable purposes, such as promotion of education and health. The funds were, instead, being used for violent and secessionist activities in J&K. They were also being channelled to proscribed terrorist organisations, such as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and others through well organised networks of JeI cadres.”

The statement further said that as per the investigations, JeI was also engaged in motivating impressionable youth of Kashmir and recruiting new members (Rukuns) in J&K for carrying out violent, disruptive and secessionist activities.

“Previous investigations by the NIA had revealed that one of the four arrested accused, identified as Javaid Ahmad Lone, had been soliciting funds and organising meetings in the name of JeI, J&K. He had been delivering hateful anti-India speeches and exhorting people to make donations at these meetings. Along with Aadil Ahmad Lone, he had also acquired firearms and ammunition with ulterior motives from the other two accused, identified as Manzoor Ahmad Dar and Rameez Ahmad Kondu,” the statement added—(KNO)