Terror funding case: ED files charge sheet against J&K resident Aijaz Hussain Khawaja

Mukesh Ranjan
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 1

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday said it has filed a prosecution complaint (equivalent to a police charge sheet) under provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Aijaz Hussain Khawaja, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district in connection with a 2006 terror funding case.

Officials in the agency said the ED has already attached a residential flat at Jangpura, New Delhi and balance in the bank account held by the wife of the Aijaz Hussain Khawaja.

“In 2006, Khawaja was apprehended with a bag containing 2.05 kg RDX and Rs 49 lakh in cash by the special cell of Delhi Police. He was sentenced for seven years under section 5(b) of Explosive Substances Act, 1908 along with Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967,” a senior ED official said, adding that the seized amount was also confiscated by the trial court.

“The investigation under PMLA revealed that the accused was involved in illegal activities related to terror funding in Jammu and Kashmir. Out of such illegal activities, he had generated proceeds of crime in lakhs. During that period, he was in touch with Muktiar Ahmed Bhatt alias Ahmed (a Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative in league with Pakistan ISI) to undertake financial dealings for various separatists and terrorist activities,” the official said.