Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today conducted raids at a dozen places, including the houses of government employees and lawyer in Kashmir valley in connection with alleged militant funding from Pakistan and Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK), official sources said here today.
The government has also blacklisted 34 companies of PaK involved illegal activity on cross-Line of Control (LoC) trade routes after the recovery of drugs from a truck at Trade Facilitation Centre Salamabad Uri on July 21.
Meanwhile, alleging that raids by NIA and Enforcement Directorate (ED) were being used to cripple the business community in Kashmir, the Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) has threatened to launch an agitation if this was not stopped immediately.
Official sources said the NIA personnel, assisted by state police and paramilitary forces raided a dozen places in summer capital, Srinagar, Tangmarg in Baramulla district, Handwara in the frontier district of Kupwara since early this morning. “Those being raided in Kashmir valley have alleged links to persons being investigated in the case,” they said.
They said this is for the first time that the NIA has conducted raid at the residences of Assistant Director Industries Peerzada Ghulam Nabi Bhat at Tarhama Kunzar, Tangmarg and Peer Bagh, Srinagar.
“The house of his brother Ghulam Mohammad Bhat at Tangmarg was also raided,” they said.
They said the residence of a person, who was a driver by profession, was also raided in Handwara in the frontier district of Kupwara.
Similarly, the residence of an advocate, Abdul Rahim Wani, at Mazhama, Magam, in Tangmarg was also raided by the NIA this morning.
Director General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) R R Bhatnagar said that the raids will affect stone pelting and militancy in the valley. Raids were necessary since the funds were being using for terror activities, he said
Meanwhile, 34 companies of PaK were blacklisted to weed out any illegal activity on cross-LoC trade routes after the recovery of drugs from a truck at Trade Facilitation Centre Salamabad Uri on July 21. The Cross-LoC trade between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, capital of PoK, was suspended for about 22 days till August 11 following the recovery of 66.5 kilogram of heroin and brown sugar from the truck.
The NIA has arrested seven separatist leaders, including spokespersons of both the factions of Hurriyat Conference (HC), two sons and son-in-law of hardline HC chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani last month after their questioning in Srinagar.
The NIA also conducted raids on their and other separatist leaders houses after a formal FIR was registered following alleged admission in a sting operation by Nayeem Ahmad Khan, chairman of National Front (NF) that separatists were receiving funds for terror activities in Kashmir from abroad. Khan, who is also under arrest, was later suspended from the HC headed by Geelani.
The NIA carried out searches at 14 places on June 3 in Kashmir in connection with funds being received from Pakistan terror groups for carrying out subversive activities in the Valley. The disclosure by Khan led to NIA raids at several places in Delhi, Haryana, Jammu and Srinagar.
On July 30, the NIA also searched the office and residence of a lawyer, Devinder Singh Behal, chairman, Jammu and Kashmir Social Peace Forum, a constituent of Tehreek-e-Hurriayat headed by Geelani, in Jammu.
Similarly, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on August 10 raided the house of a businessman and his Al-Khudam Tour and Travels agency in connection with money laundering case of 2014-15 involving Rs 20 crore.
Director General of Police (DGP) Dr S P Vaid had said that ED is conducting raids at the residence and offices of suspected people, necessary to curb terror funding through hawala and other channels.
On July 26, the ED arrested senior separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah, chairman of Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), a constituent of hardline Hurriyat Conference (HC) headed by Geelani.
Official sources said the raids by ED were conducted in connection with a money laundering case of 2014-15 and other periods involving Rs 20 crore.
The ED conducted raids after it registered a case under different sections of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). The ED suspects the money was used for terror funding through hawala and other channels, they said.
The Shah was arrested in Srinagar on July 26 from his house and sent to judicial remand by a Delhi court after ED grilled him in connection with money laundering and terror funding. However, Shah has denied the allegation and said it was political vendetta for demanding right to self determination.
Meanwhile, denouncing the raids by NIA, the separatists in Srinagar have warned of ‘dire consequences’ and street protests against such alleged ‘arbitrary measures’ by the Union government.
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