Cross border LoC trade, militancy funding case: NIA files charge-sheet against 3 persons

Srinagar: National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday said that a charge-sheet has been filed against three persons in a case related to Cross border LoC trade and militancy funding case.
“Today (23.12.2022), NIA has filed charge-sheet against three accused persons in case RC-17/2016/NIA/DLI. The case was registered suo-moto on 16-12-2016,” a statement issued on Friday reads.
The accused persons charge sheeted under sections 120B of IPC and sections 17, 20, 21, 39 and 40 of UA(P) Act include Tanveer Ahmad Wani, son of Ghulam Ahmad Wani of Achagoza, PS Rajpora in Pulwama district, Peer Arshad Iqbal @ Ashu, son of Peer Gayasuddin of Khwaja Bagh, Baramulla and Bashir Ahmad Sofi, son of Haji Ghulam Mohi-Ud-Din of Hamdani Colony, Drangbal, PS & Distt. Baramulla.
“The case pertains to profiteering and generation of funds through cross LoC trade between J&K and PoK and using those funds for promotion of militancy related activities in Jammu & Kashmir. Cross-LoC trade was launched in 2008 via two Trade Facilitation Centres (TFCs) located at Salamabad, Uri in Baramulla District and Chakan-da-Bagh in 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,” the statement said.
After scrutinising several documents, it has come to notice that extra-ordinary profits were generated by excess import and under-invoicing of imported almonds by the traders, the statement said.
The statement added that it has also been found that some of the cross LoC traders of PaK are crossed-over militants and were backed by militant outfit, Hizb-Ul-Muzahideen (HM). The trade was suspended in April 2019.
Investigation revealed that accused persons Tanveer Ahmad Wani & 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 militancy funds by excess import than the export and by under-invoicing of imported Almonds from PaK based cross LoC traders.
“Investigation has established that both of the accused were also in a trading relationship with PoK based cross border Hizb-Ul-Muzahideen militants. After raising the militant funds, accused Tanveer Ahmad Wani had provided funds in cash to different militants of HM, JeM (Jaish-e-Mohammad) etc. Accused Peer Arshad Iqbal used to provide funds to accused Bashir Ahmad Sofi, an ex-militant of HM,” the statement said, adding that further investigations in the case are in progress