Srinagar: Authorities in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Thursday sealed nine properties worth more than Rs 2.58 crore belonging to banned terrorist outfit Jamaat-e-Islami, the State Investigation Agency (SIA) said.
“Today in Shopian district, properties at nine locations worth Rs 2,58,03,333 after being notified by the district magistrate on the recommendation of SIA have been sealed with restrictions on usage and entry,” a spokesman of the SIA said.
The spokesman said the properties were sealed as part of efforts to choke the availability of funds for secessionist activities and to dismantle the ecosystem of anti-national elements and terror networks hostile to India’s sovereignty.
“These premises/structures have been sealed and entry and usage have been prohibited. Besides, “red entry” to this effect has been made in the relevant revenue records,” he added.
The sealed properties include nearly half a hectare of land and some school buildings.
The properties of Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) in Shopian are the first to be notified in a series of properties belonging to the banned group in other districts of J&K, the spokesman said.
He said Shopain has a lot of significance vis-a-vis JeI. “Saadu-din Tarabali and Ghulam Ahmad Ahrar were the first to organize an Ijtima (religious gathering) at Badami Bagh Shopian in 1942 well before the first all-India Ijtima of Jamaat-e- Islami at Pathankot in 1945. Pertinently, Amir-i-Jamaat Abdul Hamid Ganaie also hails from Shopian district,” he said.
The spokesman said as many as 188 JeI properties across the UT of J&K are to be notified. “SIA has preliminarily identified numerous properties purchased or acquired by JeI worth hundreds of crores of rupees,” he added.
An official statement said that the directions for sealing of JeI properties was issued under Section 8 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
“The State Investigation Agency, Kashmir vide communication No. SIA/FIR-17-19/22/7010-14; dated: 05.11.2022 has intimated that during investigation of case FIR No. 17/2019 u/s 10, 11 & 13 UA(P) Act of P/S Batamaloo now being investigated by P/S SIA, nine (09) properties have surfaced that are owned by and under possession of banned association Jamaat-e-Islami and are located in the jurisdiction of district Shopian and are to be notified in terms of section 8 UA(P) Act,” Deputy Commissioner, Shopian, Sachin Kumar Vaishya said.
The Government of India has already declared the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) Jammu & Kashmir as an “unlawful association”.
The properties sealed include land measuring 2 Kanal 15 Marla in village Batpora in the name of JeI through its Ameer-e-Zilla Abdul Hameed of Nadigam Shopian; 7 Marla in same village in the name of Ameer-e-Zilla Shahzada Aurangzeb; 7 Marla 3 Sarsai, also in village Batpora in the name of Aurangzeb; 16 Marla in the same village and in the name of same person, under-construction building over 1 Kanal and 7 Marla land in Batpora in the name of same person; 17 Marla through its Ameer-e-Zilla Mohammad Sultan of Nownagari Tral; 17 Marla in village Heepora Batagund in the name of Ameer-e-Zilla Shahzada Aurangzeb; 2 storey yet to be functional school building over land measuring 1 Kanal and 8 Marla in village Bongam in the name of Iqra Public School through Falah-i-Aam Trust, Shopian; and four storey building over land measuring 4 Marla and 2 Marla in village Kanipora/Batpora, the notification by District Magistrate read.
“On perusal of the records and other connected documents, I, District Magistrate Shopian, am satisfied that there is sufficient material to notify (these) properties under the Act,” the notification read.
The restriction on these nine properties is on any person(s), association(s), or legal entity other than investigating officers of SIA for the purpose of investigation and police officers having jurisdiction for the purpose of enforcing the usage-related prohibition and restrictions, the notification said.
