Jan Dhan accounts being used for funding terror

Jan Dhan accounts, which were opened under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, are being used for funding terrorist activities, the Anti-Terror Squad's preliminary investigation has revealed.

The ATS has got vital clues about the accounts being used to transfer money to terrorists. It may be recalled that on March 25, ATS sleuths had nabbed 10 people from different places in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh for terror funding. The arrested persons had admitted that their network is spread in many states including Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu and Odisha.

The ATS sleuths have seized around 200 Jan Dhan account passbooks from them and from the places they raided based on the tips given by these arrested persons. The modus operandi was that the agents would open bank accounts under fake names or use the accounts of illiterate villagers who would be paid a small amount. The agents would keep the passbook and other necessary documents with them.

The examination of their bank accounts revealed that they received funds from Pakistan, Nepal, Qatar, ATS sources said.

The ATS has claimed that four of those arrested—Uma Pratap of Rewa, Naseem Ahamed and Mohammed Arshad of Gorakhpur and Sanjay Saroj of Pratapgarh—have direct links with Lashkar –e-Taiba.

Investigations revealed that the money credited in their bank accounts were diverted to different bank accounts in Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Odisha and other states. More than Rs 3 crore were sent to these bank accounts.