The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday has filed a prosecution complaint against 12 Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) before a special judge at Patiala House court here in connection with a terror-funding case.

 
The officials said in the complaint that the ED had named Mohammad Shafi Shah, Talib Lali, Mohd Yusuf Shah, Gulam Nabi Khan, Umer Farooq Shera, Manzoor Ahmed Dar, Zaffar Hussain Bhat, Nazir Ahmad Dar, Abdul Majeed Sofi, Mubarak Shah, Muzaffar Ahmad Dar and Mushtaq Ahmad Lone.

“The prosecution complaint has been filed with a prayer for awarding punishment to all of the accused for the commission of an offence under the PMLA and for the confiscation of the attached properties totalling Rs. 1.22 crores, which have been provisionally attached,” an ED official said.

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The financial prosecution agency initiated an investigation under the PMLA based on an NIA FIR and charge sheet filed by the anti-terror probe agency against the 12 accused under various sections of the IPC and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Mohammad Shafi Shah and his associates were involved in the execution of sensational blasts in Jammu and Kashmir and a huge quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives were recovered from them, the ED said in its submission in the court.

 
“Investigations under PMLA revealed that Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, the most active terror outfit in Kashmir, has been responsible for funding terrorist and secessionist activities in the Valley headed by Syed Salahuddin, its self-styled commander based out of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The funding of terrorism activities on Indian soil had been organised by a trust called Jammu and Kashmir Affectees Relief Trust (JKART), which was operating in connivance with the Government of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the ISI,” the ED said in its prosecution complaint.

It is also revealed that the terror funds were sent to India through a hawala channel, barter trade and human carriers, the agency said, adding that the funds were further distributed through such illegal channels to the next of kin of active as well as to the dead Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists.

The ED said after identification of proceeds of crime involved in money laundering, 13 properties belonging to seven terrorists totalling Rs. 1.22 crores were also attached under the PMLA.

Daily Tribune:  25nd August, 2020