Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out raids on Wednesday at over a dozen locations across seven districts in Jammu and Kashmir involving the activists of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) organization.
The NIA sleuths assisted by the local police and the CRPF raided the premises of JeI activists at 17 locations in Anantnag, Kulgam, Ganderbal, Bandipora, Budgam, Kishtwar and Jammu districts of J&K in the “terror funding case” (RC-03/2021/NIA/DLI), NIA spokesperson said in a press release.
It said these raids are part of the ongoing investigation being carried out by the NIA into the case registered by NIA on February 05, 2021 “in connection with separatist and secessionist activities of JeI, an unlawful association under the UA(P) Act even after its proscription on 28.02.2019.
“The members of the organisation have been collecting funds domestically and abroad which are being used for violent and secessionist activities. JeI has also been motivating impressionable youth of Kashmir and recruiting new members (Rukuns) in J&K to participate in disruptive secessionist activities,” NIA said.
It said searches conducted today included the premises of office-bearers and members of JeI. During the searches, various incriminating documents and electronic devices were seized from the premises of the suspects.
Investigation in the case continues, NIA said.
Earlier, the NIA had searched 61 places in 10 districts of Kashmir and four districts of Jammu during raids on August 08 and 09.
In February 2019, the Centre banned the JeI for five years under anti-terror laws on grounds that it was “in close touch” with militant outfits and was expected to “escalate secessionist movement” in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
A notification banning the group under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs after a high-level meeting on security chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Hundreds of JeI activists were arrested in a major crackdown across Jammu and Kashmir following the ban, which came just months ahead of the abrogation of the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and its bifurcation into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in August 2019.
