New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a charge sheet against three accused in terror funding and cross-border LoC trade. The accused who belong to Pulwama and Baramulla in J&K are Tanveer Ahmad Wani, Peer Arshad Iqbal, and Bashir Ahmad Sofi. They were charge-sheeted under section 120B of IPC and Sections 17, 20, 21, 39 and 40 of UAPA.
The case pertains to profiteering and generation of funds through cross-LoC trade between J&K and PoK and using of those funds for the promotion of terrorist activities in Jammu & Kashmir. Cross-LoC trade was launched in 2008 via two Trade Facilitation Centres (TFCs) located at Salamabad, Uri in the Baramullah district, and Chakan da Bagh in the 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 J&K. It was based on a barter system and no transaction of money was involved.
"After scrutinizing several documents, it has come to notice that extraordinary profits were generated by excess import 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 terrorist and were backed by terrorist outfit, Hizb-Ul-Muzahideen (HM). The trade was suspended in April 2019," the NIA said.
Investigation revealed that accused persons Tanvir Ahmed 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," the NIA said.
The 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 Tanvir Ahmed Wani had provided funds in cash to different terrorist of HM, JeM (Jaish-e-Mohammed) etc. Accused Peer Arshad Iqbal used to provide funds to accused Bashir Ahmed Sofi, an ex-militent of HM," the NIA said.
