Srinagar, Sept 22: In a significant development unfolding in the terror linked corruption case of Deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Sheikh Adil, a telegram financing terror angle has also emerged, officials on Friday said.
DySp Sheikh Adil was arrested on Thursday over the charges of corruption, extortion, and fraud.
Providing further details regarding the previous links and developments , a senior police officer told Rising Kashmir that on February 7, 2023, a naka party of Police Station Nowgam led by SI Javid Ahmad Wani , had arrested three terror associates at Lasjan.
“They had been “intercepted tactfully” and were later identified as Umar Adil Dar (Soiteng), Bilal Ahmad Sidiqi (Kursoo, Rajbagh) and Salik Mehraj (Soiteng). The recoveries included Rs 31, 65, 200 cash, a cell phone and three pages pertaining to banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e Toiba.
“The trio offered no plausible explanation for the recoveries. They eventually admitted having received the funds for funding LeT cadres in Srinagar on the directions of their Pakistani handlers. It led to registration of FIR No 20/2023 U/S 120 B, 121, 121 A-IPC, 13,18,39, 40 ULA (P) Act of Police Station Nowgam and investigation was entrusted to the then Dy SP Sheikh Adil Mushtaq. While all three phones of the accused were sent for forensic analysis on March 2,” he said.
The officer said during the investigation, Umar Adil Dar disclosed on February 9, that he was earlier working with Hurriyat (G) and was being handled by Pakistani handler Col Yasir and another person Aijaz Rehmani, a Kashmir origin person living in Pakistan, he said.
“On instructions of Rehmani, he said he received an amount of 25 lacs from an unknown person at Wanpoh filling station, Kulgam, out of which he gave Rs one lakh each to Bilal, Zamrooda and Rs five lakh to Yasmin for the purpose of strengthening the LeT cadre in Srinagar,” the officer said.
“The accused Dar further revealed that Salik Mehraj had further received the money consignments at different occasions from unknown persons near Government Higher Secondary School and Filling Station Wanpoh. They had handled Rs 90 lakh,” he said.
Similarly on March 6, then investigating officer DySP Sheikh Adil searched the residential premises of Yasmin (from Namblabal Pampore) and Zamrooda ( from Mehman Mohalla Anantnag presently putting up at Majid Bagh Sanatnager) and seized their mobile phones, which were later sent to FSL Srinagar for forensic examination on March 27.
“The women were subsequently indicted only under section 13 of UAPA which became the prime reason for their bail,” he said.
Meanwhile, a police case has pointed out that there was a month’s delay in raiding the two homes during which the accused might have destroyed the evidence.
“DySp Adil was heading the investigations till he was relieved from Pantha Chowk on March 11, 2023. He was succeeded by Sumit Sharma who took over the investigations,” he added.
After handing the case over to the new Investigation Officer, sleuths located two transactions of Umar Adil, amounting two five lakh rupees on January 23, 2023. The money had gone to PNB, Sopore to Sheikh Inamul Haq.
“The investigations established that it was a fake account. Even the photograph was fake. The photograph belonged to Muzamil Zahoor, a resident of Andergam, Pattan, who had got closer to Inamul Haq and sought documents for his appointment in Infosys. Muzamil was finally arrested from the Srinagar hotel on July 19,” he said.
The police officer said that it was an investigation of Muzamil Zahoor’s telegram account by CERT-IN that showed his communication with Sheikh Adil.
“The chats among the two have been effected between 07.07.2023 to 19.07.2023 (the day of arrest of Muzamil Zahoor). During the period Dy SP Sheikh Adil has actively guided Muzamil Zahoor,” he said.’
The police officer said that Muzamil was guided to file a false and frivolous complaint against the Police Officers who were involved in the investigation of the case, in order to save Muzamil Zahoor from the rigor of law and also to create a manipulative cover in hiding the criminal complicity of DY SP Sheikh Adil for his wrongdoings that have surfaced during the investigation,” the police officer said.
The police said during investigations, Muzamil admitted his association with Umer Adil Dar and a meeting with Uzair Ronga.
“He later got Rs five lakh to his fake account from Dar. Later, he would get directions from Saudi based Asif Maqbool Dar. Later, he flies to Delhi on the direction of his handlers. There, he got information about the arrest of Dar and others,” the police officer said.
On his return to Srinagar, he met Adil Mushtaq and sought the release of Dar who told him that it is UAPA case and release is difficult. (..but the officer informed that he will help them by keeping the investigation limited and demanded money for the same,” the FIR quotes Muzamil saying in presence of a magistrate.
“I paid him 2.73 lakh rupees near VMS Pharma during the day time besides the police officer told me to remain underground for a couple of months.”
The police officer said as the cops started locating Muzamil’s bank accounts, he said he got apprehensive and contacted Adil Mushtaq who advised and guided him “in drafting the contents of the frivolous complaint against SHO Nowgam on telegram chat”.
He further said that Muzamil was guided in recording a video clip “so as to save himself, and others”, while the clip was sent to Adil.
“Eventually the frivolous complaint was filed in the court of law in Srinagar and I was told/advised by Dy. SP. Adil Mushtaq to remain under ground for some more time till court order on that complaint comes, however, Police arrested me from Hotel Foot Hill, Sonwar Srinagar where I was hiding” he said.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Police have constituted a team for investigations and the erstwhile police officer is in the remand. Details will come once the process completes. It eventually marks the beginning of a long battle in the court of law, he said.
“Details were collected about the bank accounts and transactions of the trio and the two women and this part of the investigation was closed on April 5. The two women were arrested on May 18, but they got the absolute bail. On July 27, the charge-sheet against the five accused,” the officer said.
On Thursday, 5-member police team was formed to investigate the case after and DySp Adil was formally arrested in FIR 149/2023 u/S 7, 7A of Prevention of Corruption Act and Sections 167, 193, 201, 210, 218, 221 of IPC registered at Nowgam Police Station.
