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Srinagar, August 18: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a bid to curb terror funding and subversive activities in Jammu and Kashmir arrested a businessman from Srinagar Zahoor Ahmad Watali. Notably, Zahoor Ahmad Watali who is a close aide of Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani was allegedly involved in terror funding case and anti-India operations. NIA will produce Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali on Friday before the Special NIA Judge at Patiala House Court in New Delhi.
The arrest of Srinagar based businessman Zahoor Ahmad Watali comes following the searches conducted by the central probe agency at multiple locations in Jammu and Kashmir belonging to his relatives and employees. Watali's residence in Srinagar was first searched by NIA on June 3 during which it had recovered several financial documents related to terror funding apart from land deals handled by him.
During the searches, the NIA had unearthed highly incriminating material pertaining to receipt of funds by Watali from foreign sources and its further distribution to the terrorists and separatists in Kashmir valley for anti-India activities. He is being questioned by the NIA.
NIA released a statement which stated, "Watali's arrest follows the searches conducted by the NIA on Wednesday at multiple locations in Srinagar, Handwara, Kupwara and Baramulla belonging to his relatives and employees. The searches have unearthed highly incriminating material pertaining to receipt of funds by Zahoor Watali from foreign sources and its further distribution to the terrorists and separatists in Kashmir valley for anti-India activities."
According to the official sources, Watali used his business to channel ISI funds to India for separatist activities. Some of the key Pakistan military personnel he has been in touch with were identified as Brigadier Mir Hafiz Sohail of ISI, Brigadier (Retd) Javeed Aziz Kahn (ex-ISI) and Major General (Retd) Rashid Qureshi.
His links to politicians of Pakistan are also known publically. Watali is also in direct or frequent contact with former PoK chief minister Sardar Ateaq Khan, Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhary and Federation of Pakistan's Chambers of Commerce and Industry vice-president Haji Tariq Shafi. Also, he had invited Ateaq Khan, Chaudhary and Shafi to his son Yasin Ahmed Watali's wedding in Srinagar in September 2011.
Watali was earlier arrested in 1990 by Jammu and Kashmir police, when some anti-national activists were found present in his house at Bagat Barzulla, Srinagar. He was taken into custody along with Yaseen Malik, Sajjad Gani Lone, Bilal Lone and others and was jailed for eight months at Jammu. In 2009, Watali was accused of illegal encroachment of a land and assault, and a case was registered against him at Parimpora police station in Srinagar.
The raids were conducted after the questioning of Geelani's sons. The NIA sought details about the financial transactions from Naeem and Naseem. The court also gave the judicial custody of Naeem and Naseem to NIA in money laundering case. Several other Hurriyat leaders who have been questioned in connection with this case have given details about the funding. All evidence points towards a major role played allegedly by Geelani, the investigations have found.
The action of NIA comes after the probe agency raided the house and office of Devinder Singh Behl in money laundering case and arrested him from his residence. Devinder Singh Behl is a businessman and close aide of Syed Ali Shah Geelani allegedly involved in the money laundering case and funded anti-national elements to create unrest in Kashmir.
On the other side, the arrest of Devinder Singh Behl Comes after the central agency arrested seven Kashmiri separatist leaders including Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s son-in-law Altaf Shah and moderate Hurriyat chairman’s close aide Shahid-ul-Islam in connection with its probe into the funding of terror and subversive activities in Kashmir. All are in the remand of NIA for
The arrest of Srinagar based businessman Zahoor Ahmad Watali comes following the searches conducted by the central probe agency at multiple locations in Jammu and Kashmir belonging to his relatives and employees. Watali's residence in Srinagar was first searched by NIA on June 3 during which it had recovered several financial documents related to terror funding apart from land deals handled by him.
During the searches, the NIA had unearthed highly incriminating material pertaining to receipt of funds by Watali from foreign sources and its further distribution to the terrorists and separatists in Kashmir valley for anti-India activities. He is being questioned by the NIA.
NIA released a statement which stated, "Watali's arrest follows the searches conducted by the NIA on Wednesday at multiple locations in Srinagar, Handwara, Kupwara and Baramulla belonging to his relatives and employees. The searches have unearthed highly incriminating material pertaining to receipt of funds by Zahoor Watali from foreign sources and its further distribution to the terrorists and separatists in Kashmir valley for anti-India activities."
According to the official sources, Watali used his business to channel ISI funds to India for separatist activities. Some of the key Pakistan military personnel he has been in touch with were identified as Brigadier Mir Hafiz Sohail of ISI, Brigadier (Retd) Javeed Aziz Kahn (ex-ISI) and Major General (Retd) Rashid Qureshi.
His links to politicians of Pakistan are also known publically. Watali is also in direct or frequent contact with former PoK chief minister Sardar Ateaq Khan, Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhary and Federation of Pakistan's Chambers of Commerce and Industry vice-president Haji Tariq Shafi. Also, he had invited Ateaq Khan, Chaudhary and Shafi to his son Yasin Ahmed Watali's wedding in Srinagar in September 2011.
Watali was earlier arrested in 1990 by Jammu and Kashmir police, when some anti-national activists were found present in his house at Bagat Barzulla, Srinagar. He was taken into custody along with Yaseen Malik, Sajjad Gani Lone, Bilal Lone and others and was jailed for eight months at Jammu. In 2009, Watali was accused of illegal encroachment of a land and assault, and a case was registered against him at Parimpora police station in Srinagar.
The raids were conducted after the questioning of Geelani's sons. The NIA sought details about the financial transactions from Naeem and Naseem. The court also gave the judicial custody of Naeem and Naseem to NIA in money laundering case. Several other Hurriyat leaders who have been questioned in connection with this case have given details about the funding. All evidence points towards a major role played allegedly by Geelani, the investigations have found.
The action of NIA comes after the probe agency raided the house and office of Devinder Singh Behl in money laundering case and arrested him from his residence. Devinder Singh Behl is a businessman and close aide of Syed Ali Shah Geelani allegedly involved in the money laundering case and funded anti-national elements to create unrest in Kashmir.
On the other side, the arrest of Devinder Singh Behl Comes after the central agency arrested seven Kashmiri separatist leaders including Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s son-in-law Altaf Shah and moderate Hurriyat chairman’s close aide Shahid-ul-Islam in connection with its probe into the funding of terror and subversive activities in Kashmir. All are in the remand of NIA for
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