Along with Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday carried out raids at multiple locations across J&K in connection with the funding of anti-India activities.
The joint raids by the NIA were conducted at 56 locations in all the 10 districts of Kashmir and four districts of Jammu province — Ramban, Kishtwar, Doda and Rajouri — in a case related to the terror funding, a spokesperson of the NIA said. A senior NIA team has flown from New Delhi to Srinagar to conduct operations.
The investigating body has seized documents and digital devices and it is said to be one of the biggest crackdowns against Jamaat-e-Islami- an outfit that was banned by the central government in 2019 due to its pro-Pakistan and pro-separatist leanings.
“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.
“A case was registered by the NIA 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 spokesperson said.
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 channelised to proscribed terrorist organisations such as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (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.
Earlier this week, NIA conducted searches at several locations in Jammu and Kashmir, where multiple teams of NIA are carrying out searches at three locations in J&K, including the residence of a hardware store salesman in Bandipora. On July 31, the NIA raided 14 locations in connection with J&K cases related to the recovery of IED and the arrest of Lashkar-e-Mustafa top commander Hidayatullah Malik.
With inputs from PTI
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