Jamaat-e-Islami Case: NIA raids underway at multiple locations in Kashmir

SRINAGAR — National Investigation Agency (NIA) with the assistance of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF raided multiple locations on Thursday in Kashmir valley in connection with a case registered against the banned organization Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI).

Official sources told news agency Kashmir Dot Com (KDC) that multiple locations were raided by the probing agency NIA with the assistance of Jammu and Kashmir Police along with CRPF in connection with a case registered against the banned organisation.

They said the case was registered by the probing agency NIA in pursuance of an 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 28.02.2019.”

NIA in its statement had 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-Maal purportedly to further charity and other welfare activities but these funds are instead being used for violent and secessionist activities.”

NIA claimed, “The funds raised by JeI are also being channelised to militants such as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and others through well-organised networks of JeI cadres. JeI has also been motivating impressionable youth of Kashmir and recruiting new members (Rukuns) in J&K to participate in disruptive secessionist activities.”

Reliable sources said a raid was conducted in the residential house of Farooq Ahmad Bhat alias Khaki son of Mohad Sadiq Bhat, a resident of Chinar Bagh Pahroo in Srinagar outskirts. Bhat is said to be Qaiym Zilah of JeI Budgam.

In Budgam, raids were conducted in the residential house of Khursheed Sanai (JeI member) son of Mohd Shaban, a resident of Falchil Khansahib and Bilal Ahmad Mir (JeI member) son of Ghulam Hassan, a resident of Hanjura area of the district.

Similarly, in north Kashmir raids were conducted in the residences of Hafizullah Ganie, son of Fatha Mohammad Ganie, a resident of Chandkoot Kreeri and Shoaib Mohammad Choor son of Mohammad Akbar, a resident of Sangri Colony Baramulla.

Many other locations are being searched by the national probing agency of which sources said details were being collected.

“During the searches on Thursday, various incriminating documents and electronic devices were seized from the premises of the suspects,” sources said, adding that further investigation of the case is going on.