Srinagar, Oct 2: The NIA Tuesday conducted a search at the residence of a businessman here in connection with a case related to busting of a “terror-funding” module in New Delhi last week, officials said.
The raid, which was scheduled last week but postponed due to law and order situation, was carried out at the residence of Ajaz Ahmad Hakak, who deals in medical items, in downtown Srinagar early Tuesday.
Local police and paramilitary personnel accompanied National Investigation Agency officials during the raid.
The officials said Ajaz has been served with a summons to appear before the agency and as a routine matter, his brother was being questioned.
On September 25, the NIA conducted searches at the premises of Mohammad Salman in Nizamuddin, Daryaganj-resident Mohammad Salim (“hawala operator”) and Rajaram in Kucha Ghasiram in New Delhi and seized Rs 1.56 crore in cash, Rs 43,000 in Nepali currency, 14 mobiles phones, five pen drives and several incriminating documents.
Subsequently, the agency arrested from Delhi “Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) operative” Mohammad Salman (52), and “Hawala operators” Mohammad Salim alias Mama (62) and Sajjad Abdul Wani (34), a resident of Srinagar.
The FIF is a Lahore-based organisation established by Jamat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, who has been designated as a “global terrorist” by the US. The FIF was designated as a “terrorist entity” by the US in 2010.
The officials said the arrested people claimed that 50 percent of the seized money belonged to Ajaz.
An FIR to probe the “terror-funding module” was registered by the agency in July this year.
According to the FIR, “some Delhi-based individuals were receiving funds from FIF operatives based abroad and were using it for terror activities”.
During investigation, it emerged that Mohammad Salman, a resident of the Nizamuddin area in New Delhi, was in regular touch with a Dubai-based Pakistani national, who in turn is connected to the Deputy Chief of the FIF, believed to be a “front organization” of the proscribed militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba.
“The accused person has been receiving funds, being sent by FIF operator and his associates, through Hawala operators. Accused persons along with other persons in various countries including Pakistan, the UAE etc are sending money through Hawala to India to further their nefarious activities and create unrest in India and carry out the terrorist activities,” a statement issued by the NIA had said last week.
