NIA searches 56 premises of Jamaat in 14 J&K distts
Doc, Govt teacher, Retd teachers among those raided in Jammu
*Funds raised by outfit channelized to HM, LeT
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 8: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today conducted raids at 56 locations spread over 14 districts of Jammu and Kashmir on residences, premises and other locations of proscribed Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) leaders and activists following reports that despite ban imposed on the organization its activists were indulging in collection of donations which were being used for violent and secessionist activities and were motivating youth of Kashmir to indulge in disruptions. Click here to watch video
Following raids, the NIA detained district president of Jamaat-e-Islami for Kishtwar and recovered large quantity of incriminating documents, electronic devices and mobile telephones from other places which were raided during the day. At all the places, the NIA teams were joined in the operation by CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police to ensure that there was no untoward incident. A doctor, a Government teacher and two Retired teachers were among the Jamaat cadre whose houses were searched in Jammu region.
Fourteen districts where the NIA teams conducted raids in the premises of Jamaat-e-Islami include Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar and Rajouri in Jammu region and Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama and Kulgam in Kashmir.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Abdul Majid Sheikh son of Ghulam Ali Sheikh, a resident of Lanyal Kishtwar, who happened to be the district president of Jamaat-e-Islami for Kishtwar was taken into custody after the raids in view of recovery of certain incriminating documents from his possession and his involvement in fanning undesirable activities.
However, there was no official word from the NIA on the arrest of Majid Sheikh, who is a retired teacher and very top leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami not only in Kishtwar but the entire Union Territory.
In Ramban district, the NIA teams conducted raids at the residences of Ghulam Nabi Sohil son of Ghulam Akbar Sohil at village Bhatibass in Khari area of Banihal tehsil and Abdul Ahad Malik alias Ahad Masroor, a resident of Rallu Banihal.
Sohil is a retired teacher.
At Doda, the NIA team raided the house of ex Jamaat-e-Islami president Sadar Din Gurse son of Ghulam Mohammad Gurse at village Dugli in Bhalla tehsil. It also conductred raids at the house of Mohammad Safiq son of Abdul Rashid Bhat in Doda and Mushtaq Ahmad son of Said Din at Marmat.
Other houses of Jamaat leaders raided in Doda include Abdul Hafeez Sheikh son of Mohammad Akbar Sheikh at Ghat, a Government teacher posted in High School Ghat and Dr Anayatyullah Wani son of Mohammad Iqbal Wani at Akramabad Doda.
Residence of Amir Mohammad Shamsi son of Noor Mohammad Shamsi was raided by the NIA sleuths at village Rathal in Rajouri district this morning.
Sources said the NIA has recovered large quantity of incriminating documents, electronic devices, mobile telephones etc from residences and other premises of the Jamaat-e-Islami cadre raided today by them across Jammu and Kashmir.
“It will take a long time to scrutinize the documents,” they said, but added that there were enough leads to show involvement of Jamaat cadre in instigating the Kashmir youth for disruptive activities and collection of funds which were also being used for encouraging violence and secessionism.
An official statement issued by the NIA after the raids said a case was registered by the Agency on February 5, 2021 in pursuance to order from the Ministry of Home Affairs relating to separatist and secessionist activities of JeI, an unlawful association under the UA(P) Act, even after its proscription on February 28, 2019.
The NIA said the members of the organisation have been collecting funds domestically and abroad through donations, particularly in the form of ‘Zakat, Mowda and Bait-ul-Mal’, purportedly to further charity and other welfare activities but these funds are instead being used for violent and secessionist activities.
“The funds raised by the JeI are also being channelized to proscribed militant organisations such as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and others through well organised networks of JeI cadres. The JeI has also been motivating impressionable youth of Kashmir and recruiting new members (Rukuns) in Jammu and Kashmir to participate in disruptive secessionist activities,” the spokesperson said.
The NIA said further investigation in the case is going on.
“Searches conducted today included the premises of office bearers of the proscribed association, its members and also offices of Trusts purportedly run by the JeI. During the searches, various incriminating documents and electronic devices were seized from the premises of the suspects,” the spokesperson said.
In February 2019, the Centre banned the JeI for five years under anti-terror laws on the ground that it was “in close touch” with militant outfits and was expected to “escalate secessionist movement” in the erstwhile State.
A notification banning the group under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs after a high-level meeting on security chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Hundreds of JeI activists were arrested in a major crackdown across Jammu and Kashmir following the ban, which came just months ahead of the abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and its bifurcation into Union Territories in August 2019.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
