New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has attached seven immovable properties in Kashmir belonging to a “top terrorist of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM)”, according to an official statement issued on Thursday.
Sartaj Ahmed Mantoo’s properties, including land measuring 19 Marlas and 84 Sq ft at Kisarigam in Pulwama district, were attached on Wednesday on the orders of a special NIA court in Jammu, it said.
Sartaj was arrested on January 31, 2020, and arms, ammunition and explosives were recovered from his possession.
He was chargesheeted on July 27, 2020, and is currently facing trial under relevant sections of the Arms Act, Indian Penal Code, Explosive Substances Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, said the statement issued by the NIA.
Along with his five co-accused members of the JeM, he was “involved in transporting terrorists to the Kashmir valley”, it said.
“Going full steam with its efforts to destroy the terror network in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), the National Investigation Agency has attached as many as seven immovable properties of a top terrorist belonging to the banned Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist organisation,” the statement said.
Since its formation in 2000 by Masood Azhar, the JeM has carried out several terrorist attacks in India including Jammu and Kashmir, the probe agency said.
The JeM was enlisted as a ‘Designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation’ by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1267 and the group’s leader Masood Azhar was designated as a ‘Global Terrorist’ in 2019 by the UNSC.
The NIA had, just a week ago, attached six immovable properties of another top militant of JeM in Kashmir as part of its crackdown on terror operatives in J&K.
Over 400 properties attached by NIA since 2019, most belonging to terrorists, Naxals
100 other properties belonging to terrorists, their supporters attached, forfeited or confiscated by Jammu branch of NIA
Over 400 properties, including multiple bank accounts and cash worth crores, have been attached by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) across the country since 2019, most of them belonging to terrorists, Naxals, separatists and their supporters, officials said on Thursday.
Of the 403 confiscated and attached properties, 206 have been attached by the Ranchi branch of the federal probe agency which is the highest, they said.
The properties include multiple bank accounts and a significant amount of cash belonging to Naxals and their aides among others, spread across mainly in Bihar and Jharkhand, the officials said.
A total of 100 other properties belonging to terrorists and their supporters were attached, forfeited or confiscated by the Jammu branch of the NIA, they said.
The Chandigarh branch of the anti-terror probe agency has attached 33 properties belonging to separatists and their supporters, the officials said, adding that in addition to these “two properties belonging to banned Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun have been confiscated”.
These properties were attached or confiscated during 2019 and May 16, 2024 by the NIA have helped in dismantling the network and infrastructure of terror and Naxal outfits, they said.
The properties belonging to the workers and supporters of banned outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) have also been attached or confiscated by the NIA, the officials said.
As many as 22 properties have been attached by the New Delhi branch of the NIA, 27 (including eight confiscated ones) by the Kochi branch, five by Mumbai, four by Hyderabad, three by Chennai and one by Lucknow branch, they added.
