NIA files charge-sheet against 3 terror-funding accused
New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a chargesheet against three people accused in a case of terror-funding through cross-LoC trade, an official said.
The case was registered suo-moto on December 16, 2016.
The accused — Tanveer Ahmad Wani of Pulwama, and Peer Arshad Iqbal and Bashir Ahmad Sofi of Baramulla — were chargesheeted in a special court under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, an NIA spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said the case pertains to profiteering and generation of funds through trade between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-administered-Kashmir (PaK) via the Line of Control (LoC) and “using of those funds for promotion of terrorist activities in Jammu & Kashmir”.
The Cross-LoC trade was launched in 2008 via two Trade Facilitation Centres (TFCs) located at Salamabad, Uri in Baramulla district of Kashmir and Chakan-da-Bagh in Poonch of Jammu region.
As per the SOP of the trade mechanism put in place, 21 articles were allowed to be imported from PaK and exported from J&K. It was based on a barter system and no transaction of money was involved.
“After scrutinising several documents, it has come to notice that extraordinary profits were generated by excess import and under-invoicing of imported almonds by the traders. It has also been found that some of the cross-LoC traders of PoK are crossed-over terrorists and were backed by terrorist outfit Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM),” the spokesperson said.
The trade was suspended in April 2019.
The spokesperson said investigation revealed that accused Wani and Iqbal were cross-LoC traders and were handling several trade firms registered in the names of themselves, their friends, relatives and employees.
“Both of them raised terror funds by excess import than the export and by under-invoicing of imported Almonds from PoK-based cross LoC traders,” the official said.
The NIA said the investigation has established that “both of the accused were also in a trading relationship with PoK-based cross-border Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists”.
“After raising the terror funds, Wani provided funds in cash to different terrorists of Hizbul Mujahideen, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and others. Accused Iqbal used to provide funds to Sofi, a former militant of Hizbul Mujahideen,” the spokesperson said.
NIA raids 14 places across 5 districts in J&K
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday conducted searches at 14 locations in different districts in a case related to terror activities of various proscribed outfits in Jammu and Kashmir, an official said.
The raids were conducted in Jammu, south Kashmir districts of Kulgam, Pulwama, Anantnag, and north Kashmir’s Sopore, a spokesperson of the federal agency said.
The agency said the searches were carried out in connection with a case which was suo-moto registered on June 21 by the NIA Police Station in Jammu.
“The case pertains to the criminal conspiracy for carrying out terrorist and subversive activities hatched by the cadres and Over Ground Workers of various proscribed organizations and their affiliates/off-shoots, operating under various pseudo names, at the behest of their Pakistani commanders/handlers,” the spokesperson said.
The official said they are involved in “carrying out terrorist attacks by using cyber-space” in Jammu and Kashmir. They have been targeting minorities, security personnel and spreading communal disharmony in J&K.
During the multiple raids, the spokesperson said incriminating material such as digital devices, SIM cards and digital storage tools have been seized from the searched premises.
Further investigation in the case continues, the NIA said.
