SIA files chargesheet against two Narco-militancy financers

Srinagar: State Investigation Agency, Jammu and Kashmir police, on Monday filed chargesheet against two accused who along with their other associates were involved in operating a narco militancy financing module in the union territory.
A statement by the Agency said the chargesheet was filed against Zaheed Ahmad Khoja and Zameer Ahmad Lone under various provisions of NDPS Act and UA(P) Act in Special Designated UAPA Court under the NIA Act.
SIA said Khoja was arrested in September last year when he was intercepted while transporting a huge consignment of Heroin weighing 3.565 Kgs (valued at more than Rs 25 crores) while Lone is an active militant of Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Lone, originally resident of Kashmir and now based in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir has been chargesheeted as an absconding accused.
SIA said Zaheed and Zameer and others in connivance with militants of militant outfits, hatched a criminal conspiracy of raising funds by illegally smuggling, trafficking narcotics and contraband from across the border and from the narco proceeds financially support militancy related activities and to fund militant ecosystem.
“In pursuance of the above-mentioned larger criminal conspiracy, the duo and their other associates in close coordination through conversations over encrypted messaging applications planned systematically spreading communal disharmony through militant acts targeted at minority communities,’ the statement said.
The terror funds were used for personal enrichment and for furtherance of militant acts including setting ablaze Government buildings, residential houses of minority communities, police personnel and office of a political party, as directed by various militant outfits, active in Jammu and Kashmir, it added.
SIA has been successful in busting the narco militancy financing module where in linkages have been found with multiple militant outfits.
The Agency said militant outfits active in Jammu and Kashmir are deeply involved in raising militant funds through sale of illegally trafficked Narcotics from across the borders to sustain their operations and activities.
Further investigation against other associates of the chargesheeted accused persons in this case will continue, the statement said.