Srinagar: Under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, the Enforcement Directorate has provisionally seized assets valued at approximately Rs 5 Crore from the individuals allegedly involved in the sale and purchase of MBBS seats in Pakistan thereby funding the terrorist activities.
The properties seized include 7 immovable properties and 2 bank accounts held by individuals such as Mohd Akbar Bhat, Fatima Shah, Qazi Yasir, Mohammad Abdullah Shah, Mohd Iqbal Mir, and others in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
The officials said that this action was taken under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, in connection with the case involving Mohammad Akbar Bhat and others accused of engaging in terrorist activities.
They said that an investigation revealed that a substantial sum was received from parents for student admissions, allegedly supporting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
These Hurriyat leaders recommended admissions in Pakistani professional colleges for the families of slain terrorists, serving as an incentive to sustain unrest in the Valley.
Funds from seat sales were reportedly funnelled into terror activities, causing disturbances, damaging public property, instilling fear, and posing a threat to India’s sovereignty, said the officials.
In May 2022, eight, including senior Hurriyat leaders, were charged with selling Pakistani MBBS seats in J&K.
It may be recalled here that a case FIR No. 05/2020 was registered by P/S CIK on 27/07/2020 on receiving information through reliable sources that some unscrupulous persons, hand in glove with some educational consultancies (to be ascertained), are manuplating, arranging admission of J&K in MBBS and other professional courses in Pakistani educational institutions and the funds raised so are utilize to further terrorist activities and unrest in J&K.
The money laundering case stems from Jammu and Kashmir Police FIR and a charge-sheet it filed against Akbar Bhat, Fatima Shah, Altaf Ahmad Bhat, Qazi Yasir, Syed Khalid Geelani alias Khalid Andrabi and others on charges of being “hand-in-glove with some Pakistan-based handlers who arranged admissions in MBBS and other courses in Pakistani colleges for J&K students”.
Each student was charged about Rs 10-15 lakh for a seat, it said.
The ED said the probe found that the money was received in the personal accounts of the accused as well as the accounts of Al-Jabar Trust, which was meant for charitable purposes.
“These accounts were used for the purpose of receiving funds from the students and further ploughed (ploughing) into terrorist activities in India in various ways such as distributing money to stone pelters, providing money to the terrorists based in J&K on the instructions of Pakistan handlers such as Manzoor Ahmad Shah, Altaf Ahmad Bhat etc.,” the agency said.
The persons named in the charge sheet that was presented before the Hon’ble Court of Special Judge designated Court under NIA Act Srinagar named following individuals:
Mohammad Akbar Bhat alias Zafar Akbar Bhat (Chairman Salvation Movement), son of Abdul Jabbar, R/O Usmania Colony, Bagh-e-Mehtab; Fatima Shah, W/O Nissar Ahmad Shah, R/O Palhalan Pattan, A/P 172 Nund Reshi Colony near Sham Lal Pump Bemina Srinagar; Altaf Ahmad Bhat, S/O Abdul Jabbar Bhat, A/P Pakistan; Qazi Yasir, S/O Nisar Ahmad Qazi, R/O Qazi Mohalla, Reshi Bazar, Anantnag; Mohammad Abdullah Shah, S/O Ghulam Ahmad Shah, R/O Kulpora, Salkote Kupwara; Sabzar Ahmad Sheikh, S/O Bashir Ahmad Sheikh. R/O Nowgam, Shangus Anantnag; Manzoor Ahmad Shah, S/O Ghulam Ahmad Shah, R/O Kulpora, Salkote Kupwara, A/P Pakistan; Mohd Iqbal Mir, S/O Ghulam Rasool Mir, R/O Cheeni Chowk near Khawaja Mir Ali School, Anantnag (Mahaz Azadi Front) and; Syed Khalid Geelani alias Khalid Andrabi, S/O Ghulam Jeelani, R/O House No, 06, Khalidabad, Baghat Barzulla, Srinagar.
