NIA raids 27 places in Srinagar, Delhi

Samaan Lateef

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 6

The National Investigation Agency, probing the funding of secessionist activities in Kashmir, on Wednesday conducted fresh raids at establishments of 27 businessmen, mostly dealing with trade between Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The NIA, which has been monitoring the LoC trade for the past three months, searched houses and business establishments at 20 locations in Srinagar and seven in New Delhi.

NIA Inspector General Alok Mittal said the houses and business establishments searched belonged to traders and hawala operators who are suspected of channelling funds to fuel secessionist and anti-India activities. During the searches, Mittal said cash amounting to approximately Rs 2.20 crore had been recovered besides incriminating documents pertaining to financial transactions.

The NIA also seized several dozen laptops, mobile phones and hard discs. It also seized diaries pertaining to contacts of hawala operators and traders, ledger books containing accounts of cross- LoC trade of various trading companies. Mittal said the searches were continuing and the suspects were being questioned about the incriminating recoveries made from them. “The NIA conducted searches today at 20 locations in Srinagar and seven locations in Delhi in the J&K terror funding case,” said Mittal.

The raids have taken place a day after the police arrested two youths, including a photojournalist, from Pulwama and Kulgam districts of south Kashmir. Both youths, who have been sent by the NIA court in Delhi into the agency’s custody for 10 days, have been described by the NIA as “chronic stone-throwers”.

The NIA raided the houses of businessmen Bashir Ahmad Kaloo and his brother Fayaz Ahmad Kaloo, and Showkat Ahmad Kaloo at Hamza colony in Bemina locality of Srinagar.

It also conducted raids in the houses of Firdous Iqbal Wani at Illahibagh, Hilal Ahmad Khan at Mehboob colony in Nowgam, Sajad Syed Khan at Umer Abad, Abdul Rashid Bhat at Bemina and Imran Ahmad Kawoosa at Nowhatta in Srinagar.

Most of the raided houses belong to the people who are into the cross-LoC trade. Officials say that these traders are mostly dealing with dry fruit, herbs and cloth business between Srinagar and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The NIA had carried raids in Srinagar, Jammu, and Delhi in June to probe the entire chain of players behind the financing of secessionist activities, including throwing of stones on security forces, burning of schools and damaging government establishments. Subsequently, the NIA registered a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to waging war against and hatching a criminal conspiracy against the Indian state. Following the preliminary investigations, the NIA arrested seven Kashmiri separatist leaders on July 24 for allegedly funding militancy and unrest in Kashmir. It also arrested an influential businessman, Zahoor Watali, last month for his role in alleged terror funding.

The central agency has also summoned for questioning the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association president Mian Qayoom in the same case.

Sources said the NIA might recommend closure of trade along the current routes. However, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has strongly rooted for the cross-LoC trade, stating that the PDP would not allow its closure and continue to working towards opening more routes across the LoC with PoK.

Rs 2.2 cr, incriminating evidence recovered

• The NIA raided 20 establishments in Srinagar and 7 in New Delhi that belonged to traders and hawala operators who are suspected of channelling funds to fuel secessionism
• During the searches, Rs 2.20 crore cash was recovered besides incriminating documents pertaining to financial transactions
• The NIA also seized several dozen laptops, mobile phones and hard discs
• The suspects were being questioned about the incriminating recoveries made from them