The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a chargesheet against three accused persons in a case related to cross border trade and terror funding case.
The NIA spokesperson said that chargesheet was filed under sections 120B of IPC and sections 17, 20, 21, 39 and 40 of UA(P) Act against Tanveer Ahmad Wani of Pulwama, Peer Arshad and and Bashir Ahmad Sofi-both residents of Baramulla.
“The case pertains to profiteering and generation of funds through cross LoC trade between J&K and PoK and using of those funds for promotion of terrorist activities in Jammu & Kashmir”, he said.
The spokesperson said that Cross-LoC trade was launched in 2008 via two Trade Facilitation Centres (TFCs) located at Salamabad, Uri in Baramulla and Chakan-da-Bagh in Poonch. As per the SOP of the trade mechanism put in place, 21 articles were allowed to be imported from PoK and exported from J&K. It was based on barter system and no transaction of money was involved.
He said 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 Hizb-Ul-Muzahideen (HM). The trade was suspended in April 2019.”
He said that investigation revealed that accused persons Tanveer Ahmad Wani & Peer Arshad Iqbal were Cross LoC traders and were handling several Cross LoC trade firms, registered in the names of themselves and their friends, relatives, employees etc.
“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. Investigation has established that both of the accused were also in a trading relationship with PoK based cross border Hizb-Ul-Muzahideen terrorists”, he said.
The spokesperson further said after raising the terror funds, accused Tanveer Ahmad Wani had provided funds in cash to different militants of HM, JeM (Jaish-e-Mohammad) etc.
“Accused Peer Arshad Iqbal used to provide funds to accused Bashir Ahmad Sofi, an ex-terrorist of HM. Further investigations in the case are in progress,” he said.
