Srinagar, June 12: The National Investigation Agency on Monday attached 17 properties of Zahoor Ahmed Shah Watali, a financier of terrorism in J&K, in the Hurriyat terror funding case, in which JKLF commander Yasin Malik is currently serving a life sentence.
According to an NIA spokesman, the case involves terrorist and secessionist activities carried out in Jammu and Kashmir by proscribed ISI-backed organisations such as Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), and others. These outfits were spreading terror and violence in the valley by encouraging and carrying out attacks on civilians and security forces.
“As many as 17 properties belonging to Watali in the Handwara area of Kupwara in Kashmir have been attached by the NIA on orders by Special NIA Court, Patiala House, under section 33(1) of the UA(P) Act on Monday,” he said.
The spokesman said these banned terrorist groups were using the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC), which was formed in 1993, as a front for carrying out and supporting secessionist activities in Kashmir.
“Investigations in the case have revealed that the secessionists, including the APHC, entered into a criminal conspiracy and adopted a strategy of inciting the general public to create a surcharged atmosphere in the Kashmir valley and to resort to violence,” he said.
The spokesman said Watali had been sending the funds raised by him from various sources to the Hurriyat leaders to promote the secessionism of Jammu and Kashmir from the Union of India.
As per NIA investigations, Watali was a hawala conduit, who was receiving money from Hafiz Saeed, a ‘Specially Designated Global terrorist’ of the United States and a ‘listed global terrorist’ of the UN.
“Hafiz Saeed was the mastermind behind the 2001 Parliament attack as well as the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Between 2011 and 2013, he received foreign remittances totaling crores into his bank account from various sources. Furthermore, he had received foreign remittances in his Proprietorship Firm named M/s ‘Trisson International’, Srinagar, and unexplained remittances were also found in his NRE bank accounts,” he claimed.
The spokesman said Watali had shown the sale of a 20-kanal plot of land purportedly owned by Watali’s company, M/s ‘Trison Farms and Constructions Pvt. Ltd.’ to one Naval Kishore Kapoor, a co-accused in the case.
“However, investigations revealed that neither Watali nor his aforementioned company were listed as the owner of this plot of land in the revenue records.” Watali is currently on trial in New Delhi before the Special NIA Court,” he said.
Meanwhile, local police and NIA officials set up notice boards near the properties that read, ‘This is to inform all members of the public that the immovable properties, i.e. lands measuring (i) 13.3 Marlas under Survey No 457 min., (ii) 8.6 Marlas under Survey No 458 min., and (iii) 1 Kanal and 10.3 Marlas under Survey No 991/453 min., at village Baghatpora, Handwara , District Kupwara (J&K), in the name of accused Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali s/o Late Ghulam Nabi Shah Watali has been attached under the court order dated 31st May, 2023, in RC-10/2017/NIA/DLI. By the special NIA Court, Patiala House Courts, New Delhi.
A trial court had in May last year framed charges against Watali and others in a case related to alleged terrorism and secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir in 2017.
Watali was moved out of jail in February last year and placed under house arrest on medical grounds.
In the recent months, the NIA has so far attached over 50 properties owned by those believed to be involved in aiding terrorists and separatism in the region.
