Srinagar, Dec 23: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) 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 NIA 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,” the spokesman said.
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,” the spokesman said.
As per NIA, the investigation has established that both of the accused were also in a trading relationship with PoK based cross border Hizb-Ul-Muzahideen terrorists.
He 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,” the spokesman said.
Terrorism Case: NIA raids 14 locations across JK
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Friday raided 14 locations across Jammu and Kashmir in terror related case and various incriminating materials, including digital devices, SIM cards and digital storage devices etc. were seized from the searched premises.
NIA Spokesman said they conducted searches in 14 locations in at 14 locations across the J&K, in the Districts of Kulgam, Pulwama, Anantnag, Sopore and Jammu districts of UT of J&K in case RC-05/2022/NIA/JMU.
“During the searches conducted today, various incriminating materials such as digital devices, SIM cards and digital storage devices etc. have been seized from the searched premises. Further investigation in the case continues,” he said.
As per spokesman, the case pertains to the criminal conspiracy for carrying out terrorist and subversive activities hatched by the cadres and OGWs of various proscribed organisations and their affiliates, operating under various pseudo names, at the behest of their Pakistani commanders/handlers.
“They are involved in carrying out terrorist attacks by using cyber-space in J&K, targeting minorities, security personnel and spreading communal disharmony. The case had been suo-moto registered as RC-05/2022/NIA/JMU on 21.06.2022 by NIA Police Station, Jammu,” he said.
On December 10, as per the poster released by NIA, it announced Rs 10 lakh reward against each of the four TRF terrorists including Basit Ahmed Dar, Salem Rehmani Saifullah Sajid Jatt, Sajjad Gul. Rehmani and Jatt are residents of Pakistan.
