Raids in Kashmir; Geelani’s house, 18 other assets worth Rs 100 cr sealed

Srinagar, December 24

The Jammu and Kashmir Police’s State Investigation Agency (SIA) on Saturday carried out multiple raids in Kashmir against the Jamat-e-Islami (JeI) and attached 19 assets worth more than Rs 100 crore, including a house of late Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

The SIA raided Geelani’s property at Bulbul Bagh, Barzulla, in Srinagar and conducted searches there. The property was attached as per the orders of the District Magistrate, an SIA official said.

Other properties attached

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• Al-Huda Health Care Centre, shops and a school building over six kanals and 18 marlas in Pulwama
• A non-functional ‘Darsgah’ (religious school) over four marlas of land at Nowbal Kulgam also attached

The property was believed to have been purchased in the late 1990s by Jamat-e-Islami (JeI) and was registered in Geelani’s name who used to live there till early 2000 when he shifted to the Hyderpora area of the city.

Geelani died in September last year.

The property was later used as the residence of “Ameer” (chief) of the JeI, the official said.

He noted that the Madina complex property at Magam in Budgam district has been sealed under Section 8 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The SIA also sealed a defunct seminary of the JeI at Mazhama, comprising two rooms spread over 1,600 sq ft and a property at Ompora, Budgam.

Searches were also conducted in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

Officials said the SIA’s action was part of the seizure of several properties belonging to the JeI. These are the fourth set of properties to be notified in a series of assets belonging to the banned organisation.

The SIA has identified 188 JeI properties across the Union Territory which have either been notified or are under the process of being notified for further legal action, they said.

These are a result of investigation of a 2019 case registered at the Batmaloo police station being investigated by the agency, they said.

The move is aimed at choking the availability of funds for secessionist activities and to dismantle the ecosystem of anti-national elements and terror networks hostile to India’s sovereignty.