National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court has framed charges in a ten year old case related to terror funding in Jammu and Kashmir. Hizbul Mujahideen supreme commander and many Pakistan based operatives of the terror outfit have been named in the case.
Special Judge (NIA), Patiala House Courts, New Delhi pronounced order on charge in NIA Case RC 11/2011/NIA/DLI against accused persons namely Mohammad Shafi Shah alias Doctor of Watmohalla, Papchan, Bandipora, Talib Lali of Bazipora, Muzaffar Ahmad Dar alias Gaznavi of Chichiloora, Mushtaq Ahmad Lone alias Mushtaq Aalam of Bijbehara, Anantnag and framed charges against them under various sections of IPC and UA(P) Act in RC-11/2011/NIA/DLI.
NIA had registered the case as RC No. 11/2011/NIA-DLI dated 25.10.2011 under Section 120B read with 121A of Indian Penal Code and Section 17, 18, 39 & 40 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 against accused persons based in Pakistan. The prime accused in the case include Mohammad Yusuf Shah alias Syed Salahuddin, self-styled Commander in Chief of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) and Chairman United Jihad Council (UJC), Gulam Nabi Khan alias Ameer Khan, self-styled Deputy Commander in Chief of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Mehboob-ul-Haq, Chairman Jammu Kashmir Affectees Relief Trust (JKART), Masroor Dar, General Secretary, JKART), (5) Masood Sarfaraz & 6) Ameer belonging to Hizb-e-Islami, a Pakistan based organization supporting terrorist activities in J&K by providing funds from Pakistan to HM. NIA had earlier submitted charge sheet against 12 accused persons including Syed Salahuddin and Ghulam Nabi Khan.
According to NIA, investigation had revealed that during the year 2004 to 2011, illegal funding was made to the tune of over 80 crore from Pakistan to HM for carrying out the terrorist activities in India. “Accused Mohammad Shafi Shah was an active terrorist of HM and he had collected huge amount from Pakistan and distributed the funds to the active cadres of HM in J&K to carry out the terrorist acts,” it said adding accused Talib Lali was a co-conspirator and he used to collect funds from Mohammad Shafi Shah and further distributed the funds to the active terrorists of HM in Kashmir valley.
NIA said that he also motivated and recruited youngsters to join HM. According to the charges, accused Muzaffar Ahmad Dar (Chief Operation Commander of HM) had hatched a criminal conspiracy for furtherance of terrorist activities of HM in India by raising funds.
NIA further said that accused Mushtaq Ahmad Lone was in contact with accused Zaffar Hussain Bhatt alias Khursheed, top leader of HM, managing finance of HM in Pakistan. Agency sources said that Mushtaq Ahmad Lone used to receive funds from Pakistan through Hawala, Human couriers etc. and further distributed the funds to the HM cadres and family members of the killed cadres of HM.