Weeding out terror funding from its core, ED attaches properties of separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah
Srinagar, March 29: Seeping in core to weed out terror funding, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday attached the immovable properties of Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) chief Shabir Ahmad Shah. This was in connection to the terror funding cases prominently exposing in Jammu and Kashmir.
Launched as a separatist political party, JKDFP by Shah in 1998, favours tripartite talks involving India, Pakistan and Kashmir's representatives. According to ED, Shah's property located in Effandi Bagh, Rawalpora which was being held in the name of his wife and daughters were seized. The attachment was made under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
It was noted that the property had been gifted to Shah's wife and daughters by his sisters-in-law in 2005, which was purchased in their name by his father-in-law in 1999. "In spite of repeated opportunities given to his father-in-law and sisters-in-law, they failed to justify the sources of funds to acquire the property," ED statement added further.
Shabir Ahmad Shah has been involved in carrying out "illicit activities" along with his accomplice Mohd Aslam Wani, an activist of the banned Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), said the ED. The agency also stated that Shah received money for carrying out separatists activities in the valley. ED further alleged that the JKDFP was in touch with Hafiz Saeed, the founder of terror outfit Jama'at-ud-Da'wah (JuD).
Both Wani and Shah were arrested by the ED in 2017 on charges of money laundering. Wani was granted bail by the Delhi High Court in January 2019. Shah is still in judicial custody. During his custody, Wani reportedly admitted that Rs 52.96 lakh of the money belonged to Shah and was to be delivered to him in Srinagar. Wani also revealed that Shah was directing hawala operators from Pakistan to deliver money to him in Delhi. Wani also informed police that in the past also he has been acting as a carrier for Shah and has delivered Rs 2.08 crore on various occasions.
