NIA raids at 14 places in J&K
*3 cross-LoC traders charge sheeted
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 23: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today conducted raids at 14 locations spread across five districts of Jammu and Kashmir including cadre of different militant outfits who were conspiring to carry out terrorist and subversive activities in various parts of the Union Territory at the behest of their Pakistani commanders and handlers.
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Raids were conducted in Jammu, Kulgam, Anantnag, Pulwama and Baramulla districts. In Baramulla, the searches were confined to Sopore.
Officials said the searches were conducted after Jammu wing of the NIA registered a First Information Report (FIR) suo moto under Regular Case No. 5/2022/NIA/JMU at NIA Police Station on June 21, 2022.
In Jammu City, the NIA sleuths conducted raid at Prem Nagar Christian Colony under the jurisdiction of Pir Mitha Police Station at the residence of Kifayat Ahmad Itoo son of Mushtaq Ahmad Itoo, a resident of Mirhama in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district. He was presently putting up at Prem Nagar.
Itoo was subjected to questioning.
Some documents and digital devices have been recovered from his possession for ascertaining his contacts as there were reports that he is in contact with his handlers. However, exact details and his role in militancy is yet to be ascertained.
Kifayat, according to sources, had shifted to Prem Nagar Christian Colony few days back from Kulgam and reports that he was on a mission here are not ruled out.
Some more persons who have shifted here from the Kashmir Valley during winters are under radar of various security and Intelligence agencies including the NIA. Details are being conducted about their antecedents, sources said.
Meanwhile, an official statement released by the NIA after today’s raids said the agency conducted searches at 14 locations in Jammu and Kashmir including Jammu, Kulgam, Pulwama, Anantnag and Sopore.
“The case pertained to criminal conspiracy for carrying out terrorist and subversive activities hatched by the cadres and Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of various proscribed organizations and their affiliates/off-shoot, operation under various pseudo names, at the behest of their Pakistani commanders/handlers,” the statement said.
It added that the militant cadres and OGWs are involved in carrying out terror attacks by using cyberspace in Jammu and Kashmir, targeting minorities, security personnel and spreading communal disharmony.
During the searches conducted today, the statement said, various incriminating materials such as digital devices, SIM cards and digital storage devices have been seized from the searched premises.
All these devices, as per the officials, will be thoroughly scanned to ascertain details of the militants, Over Ground Workers and cadre stored in them, if any. The devices could also help the investigators in getting clues about Pakistani commanders and handlers of the searched persons.
Meanwhile, the NIA today filed charge sheet against three cross-LoC traders of Baramulla and Pulwama districts for profiteering and generation of funds through trade between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK) and using these funds for promotion of terror activities in the Valley.
The cross-LoC traders, who were charge sheeted under Sections 120-B of IPC and Sections 17, 20, 21, 39 and 40 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention Act), include Tanveer Ahmad Wani son of Ghulam Ahmad Wani of Achagoza, Rajpora in Pulwama district, Peer Arshad Iqbal alias Ashu son of Peer Gayasuddin R/o Khwaja Bagh, Baramulla and Bashir Ahmad Sofi son of Haji Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din, a resident of Hamdani Colony, Drangbal in Baramulla district.
“Cross-LoC trade was launched in 2008 via two Trade Facilitation Centres (TFCs) located at Salamabad, Uri in Baramulla and Chakan-da-Bagh in Poonch. As per the SOP of the trade mechanism put in place, 21 articles were allowed to be imported from PoJK and exported from J&K. It was based on barter system and no transaction of money was involved,” the charge sheet said.
It said after scrutinising several documents, it surfaced that extraordinary profits were generated by excess import and under-invoicing of imported almonds by the traders.
“It has also been found that some of the cross-LoC traders of PoJK are crossed over militants and were backed by Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM). The trade was suspended in April 2019,” the NIA charge sheet said.
It added investigation revealed that accused persons Tanveer Ahmad Wani & Peer Arshad Iqbal were cross-LoC traders and were handling several cross-LoC trade firms, registered on their and the names of their friends, relatives, employees etc.
“Both of them raised militant funds by excess import than the export and by under-invoicing of imported almonds from PoJK based cross-LoC traders. Investigation has established that both the accused were also in a trading relationship with PoJK based cross border Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants.”
The charge sheet stated that after raising the militant funds, accused Tanveer Ahmad Wani had provided them cash to different militants of HM, JeM (Jaish-e-Mohammad) etc.
“Accused Peer Arshad Iqbal used to provide funds to accused Bashir Ahmad Sofi, an ex-militant of HM,” the charge sheet said.
Further investigations in the case are in progress.
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