NIA files chargesheet against 3 in terror funding case

New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a chargesheet against three individuals in connection with cross-border-LoC trading and terror funding case, officials said.

The case pertains to profiteering and generation of funds through cross-LoC trade between J&K and PoK, and using of those funds for promotion of terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

Tanveer Ahmad Wani, Peer Arshad Iqbal a.k.a. Ashu and Bashir Ahmad Sofi have been chargesheeted under sections 120B of IPC and sections 17, 20, 21, 39 and 40 of UA(P) Act.

The case was registered suo-moto on December 16, 2016.

Cross-LoC trade was launched in 2008 via two Trade Facilitation Centres (TFCs) located at Salamabad, Uri in Baramulla District and Chakan-da-Bagh in Poonch District.

As per the SOP of the trade mechanism put in place, 21 articles were allowed to be imported from PoK and exported from Jammu and Kashmir.

It was based on barter system and no transaction of money was involved.

After scrutinising several documents, it has come to notice that extra-ordinary profits were generated by excess import and under-invoicing of imported almonds by the traders.

It has also been found that some of the cross LoC traders of PoK are crossed-over terrorists and were backed by terrorist outfit, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM). The trade was suspended in April 2019.

Investigation revealed that the accused persons — Tanveer Ahmad Wani and Peer Arshad Iqbal were cross-LoC traders and were handling several cross-LoC trade firms, registered in the names of themselves and their friends, relatives, employees, etc.

Both of them raised terror funds by excess import than the export and by under-invoicing of imported almonds from PoK-based cross -LoC traders.

Investigation has established that both of the accused were also in a ‘trading relationship’ with PoK-based cross border Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists.

After raising the terror funds, accused Tanveer Ahmad Wani had provided funds in cash to different terrorists of HM, JeM (Jaish-e-Mohammed) etc. “Accused Peer Arshad Iqbal used to provide funds to accused Bashir Ahmad Sofi, an ex-militant of HM,” an official said.