In what can act as a clinching evidence of Pakistan's terror funding in Kashmir Valley, the National Investigation Agency has recovered Pakistani currency running into a few thousand and currencies belonging to the UAE and Saudi Arabia apart from other incriminating material during its searches. The agency is probing alleged financiers, hawala operators and office bearers of some of the separatist groups in the Valley in connection with a Pakistan terror funding case in which Lashkar patron Hafiz Saeed has been named in the FIR.
The persons possessing the Pakistan currency were being questioned about the same, official sources said. They said the source of the flow of Pakistani currency would be probed to establish the purpose for which such money was being used.
Meanwhile, in continuation of Saturday's searches at multiple locations in Kashmir, Delhi and Haryana, the NIA took up fresh searches on Sunday at five more locations belonging to secessionist and separatist elements and traders suspected of hawala activities and terror funding in Jammu and Kashmir. "Searches are underway at four places in Kashmir and one place in Jammu," officials said.
The NIA had confirmed on Saturday that prominent businessmen and separatist leaders whose houses were raided include Zahoor Watali, Raja Zahoor Khan, Farooq Ahmad Dar alias Bitta Karate and Naeem Khan. While Watali and Zahoor Khan are prominent businessmen, Naeem Khan was Chairman of National Front before he was suspended while Dar belongs to JKLF(R).
Not just cash running into a few crores, but gold jewellery and coins worth about Rs 40 lakh, besides other incriminating documents like phone diaries, katchcha receipts and vouchers have been seized from the alleged financiers, hawala operators, office bearers of separatist groups during the searches, NIA officials said. The raids were conducted at 26 locations in Kashmir, Delhi and Haryana on Saturday. The NIA has ordered freezing of the bank accounts and lockers, and the accused persons have been summoned for questioning .
Laptops, pen drives and mobile phones have also been seized and will be investigated by the probe agency for further leads, the sources said .
Official sources in the NIA said that the agency will probe the "entire chain of players behind financing of terrorist activities including pelting of stones on security forces, burning of schools, damaging government establishments and so on."
