Police nabs 4, seizes Rs 6.9 lakh cash; raids several areas
Group had connections in Pak, PoJK, Canada, Saudi Arab
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 31: In a sensational disclosure, Jammu Police today unravelled terror links of former Minister in PDP-Congress coalition Government (2002-2008) Jatinder Singh alias Babu Singh, who had won Kathua Assembly seat as an Independent candidate in 2002 and arrested four persons involved in running hawala racket funded and operated from Pakistan.
Police conducted raids at Ward No. 1 Kathua residence of Babu Singh and his accomplices at Sainik Colony and Chowadi but he had gone underground and remained untraced till tonight.
Additional DGP Jammu Mukesh Singh told the Excelsior that four persons have been arrested so far in connection with hawala racket. More arrests were expected on the basis of disclosures of arrested persons after their questioning, he said.
Arrested persons have been identified as Mohammad Shareef Shah, 64, a resident of Syedpora Larnoo in Kokernag area of Anantnag district in South Kashmir, Gurdev Singh and Mohammad Sharief Sartaj of Jammu and Sidhant Sharma of Kathua.
SSP Jammu Chandan Kohli is conducting investigations in the case.
The case was cracked after police arrested Shareef Shah from Gandhi Nagar area last night and recovered Rs 6.9 lakh from his possession.
Shah was subjected to questioning during which he disclosed that he was tasked by Jatinder Singh alias Babu Singh of Kathua, presently Chairman of Nature Mankind Friendly Global Party, to collect money from one Omer at Srinagar.
After receiving cash, Shareef came to Jammu and was caught by the police.
The money was likely to be delivered to Babu Singh and his associates.
Shareef further revealed names of his local and foreign associates including Javed and Khatib, residents of Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK) and Farooq Khan of Toronto, Canada.
The hawala network was reported to have originated from Pakistan, PoJK and Canada, sources said but added that further links of foreign involvement will be known during investigations.
Mohammad Shareef was also Admin of a secret WhatsApp Group having members from different countries including Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
“In view of this, the possibility that the hawala network might have spread to Saudi Arabia also is not ruled out,” sources said.
Police don’t rule out the possibility that Babu Singh had floated Nature Mankind Friendly Global Party to adjust hawala funding from Pakistan and other nations.
It may be mentioned here that after being elected as an MLA for first time from Kathua Assembly seat in 2002, Babu Singh had sided with then PDP-Congress coalition Government first headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and then Ghulam Nabi Azad and served as Minister of State for Rural Development, Power and Finance. He lost 2008 Assembly election to Independent Charanjeet Singh Jasrotia.
“Further investigations in the case are in progress and efforts are on to nab Babu Singh,” police said.
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