Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 30: It was not only Pakistan which pumped hawala money running into crores in Kashmir but the illegal funds were also reported to have been routed in the Valley from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Some cross-LoC traders were also reported to have funded the separatists and Over Ground Workers (OGWs) through the “extra money” sent to them from Pakistan under the garb of trade.
This and some other sensational disclosures were reported to have figured during hawala investigations of separatists being conducted by the NIA, whose high-level team had camped in Srinagar for four days, and has now summoned three separatist leaders to its headquarters in New Delhi to join the probe.
Sources told the Excelsior that while Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) was using Pakistan soil to pump hawala money into the Kashmir valley, some other cadre of the LeT and other militant outfits had also used Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, the two friendly neighbours of India, to pump money to the separatists using hawala channels in New Delhi, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
“The hawala channels of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were activated by Pakistan and its backed militant outfits to avoid doubts as these two countries had friendly relations with India and the money routes from there was not always scrutinized as was the case with Pakistan,” sources pointed out.
However, they said, not only the separatists but some Over Ground Workers of the militants and sympathizers of the militancy have also confessed receiving hawala funds through various channels.
Three separatists, who were quizzed by the NIA at its New Delhi Headquarters for second day today, included Farooq Ahmad Dar alias Bitta Karate, Nayeem Khan and Javed Ahmad alias Gazi Baba. Initially, they had been questioned in Srinagar and had now been called to New Delhi. Though the Preliminary Enquiry (PE) registered by the NIA has also named hardliner Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, he hasn’t been quizzed so far.
According to sources, the NIA, which was already investigating pumping of cross-LoC trade funds into the militancy from both Uri-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawlakote routes in Jammu and Kashmir, was also investigating how much total money had reached the hands of separatists and militants.
There have, however, been confirmed reports with the investigators that huge sum was pumped to hawala traders by Pakistan through cross-LoC trade especially from Uri-Muzaffarabad route taking advantage of barter form of the trade.
“Several traders have been under scanner and their visits abroad are part of the investigations,” sources said, adding that some of the traders had frequently visited abroad after start of cross-LoC trade, where they reportedly met their counterparts from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). The possibility of some strategy having been evolved to fund separatism through “extra goods” sent from PoK is being investigated, they said.
It may be mentioned here that only recently, the Enforcement Directorate had also joined investigations in the hawala operations in the Valley.
Before registration of a First Information Report (FIR), the NIA had to conduct the PE and prima facie establish that the case was fit for further investigations and registration of the FIR. Sources pointed out that there was enough evidence with the NIA to lodge formal FIR in the case.
The separatists were reported to have received funds from various hawala channels including Pakistan-backed dreaded militant outfit like Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) with a view to feed the people for triggering unrest in the Valley in the form of protests and arson, sources said.
According to sources, certain lobbyists, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), social organizations and related groups and individuals had been used to pay the funds to the separatist leaders at the behest of Pakistan-based militant outfit including the LeT, which has been in the forefront for fomenting trouble in Kashmir with subversive activities.
Sources said there had been reports with the Centre Government as well as the investigating agencies that that hawala funds had been used for causing unrest in Kashmir, burning Government infrastructure including educational institutions, pelting stones and feeding some other kind of “undesirable activities” within the Kashmir valley.
As per the Preliminary Enquiry registered by the NIA, Lashkar-e-Toiba patron Hafiz Saeed, who is presently under house arrest in Pakistan, was one of the sources for hawala funds apart from other unknown sources in Pakistan.
It has reportedly been mentioned in the Preliminary Enquiry that Pakistan was used for sending hawala money to operators, who were functioning from Chandni Chowk and Ballimaran areas of Old Delhi. From these two localities, the hawala money was taken to the Kashmir valley by certain persons working for spreading unrest in the Kashmir valley, sources pointed out.
Reports said the hawala payments had been made to fund those involved in anti-India activities through a known ISI conduit named Mehboob Ahmed Sagar.
Sagar was paid by ISI on a monthly basis and he, in turn, funneled the cash to a separatist leader.
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