NIA attaches assets of Kashmir bizman Watali in terror case

New Delhi, June 12

The NIA today conducted searches on the premises of terror funding case accused Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, a Kashmiri businessman, and attached his properties in Baghatpora and Kachwari villages of Handwara in Kupwara district, officials said.

Arrested in 2017

• The NIA had arrested Watali in 2017 in a case pertaining to the terrorist and secessionist activities that disturbed the erstwhile state of J&K.
• A probe revealed that Watali received funds from Hafiz Saeed and disbursed the same among separatists and stone-pelters.

The NIA had arrested Watali in 2017 under various sections of the UAPA in a case pertaining to the terrorist and secessionist activities that disturbed the erstwhile state of J&K.

The officials said today’s action was taken following May 31 orders of the special NIA court, Patiala House Courts, New Delhi. Earlier in May, the Delhi High Court listed for August 3 Watali’s plea challenging charges framed by the trial court a year ago against him in a terror financing case, which is being investigated by the NIA.

The trial court had formally framed the charges against Kashmiri separatist leaders, including Farooq Ahmed Dar, alias Bitta Karate, Shabbir Shah, Masarat Alam, Md Yusuf Shah, Aftab Ahmad Shah, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Khan, Md Akbar Khanday, Raja Mehrajuddin Kalwal, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Abdul Rashid Sheikh and Naval Kishore Kapoor.

According to the NIA, Watali and others were fund-raisers and financial conduits.

According to the NIA chargesheet, the investigation revealed that the secessionists were mobilising funds from all possible sources to fuel unrest and support the ongoing secessionist and terrorist activities in J&K. They were getting funds from Pakistan-based terrorist organisations and local donations.

During the investigation, a document was seized from the house of Ghulam Mohd Bhatt which shows that Watali was receiving money from Hafiz Saeed (head of Jamat-ud-Dawa) and was remitting the same to the Hurriyat leaders, separatists and stone pelters in J&K, the NIA had alleged last year.