NIA carries out raids in Kashmir in NGO terror-funding case

Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday carried out raids at multiple locations in four districts of Kashmir in an NGO terror-funding case.

As part of its continuing efforts to disrupt and dismantle the terror financing network in Kashmir, the NIA conducted widespread searches in four districts of the Valley in the NGO terror-funding case relating to raising of funds for sponsoring terrorist activities, the central agency said.

It said extensive raids were conducted at seven locations in Srinagar, Budgam, Kupwara and Pulwama districts, at the premises of trusts and individuals associated with the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS).

The NIA said the JKCSS, an NGO, was allegedly involved in raising funds for banned terrorist organisations.

The raids were also conducted at locations associated with NGO programme coordinator Khurram Parvez and his associate Irfan Mehraj — both of whom are under custody, it said. Both Parvez and Mehraj were arrested by the NIA in March this year after investigations revealed their role in raising funds for the JKCCS from various charities based abroad, and utilising those funds to foment trouble and terror in Jammu and Kashmir, the NIA said.

It said subsequent investigations revealed that the JKCCS and the two arrested accused were actively involved in instigating and funding stone-pelting in an organised manner in the valley. They had been working with various banned terrorist organisations operating in Jammu and Kashmir, it added.

Several digital devices and incriminating documents related to financial transactions were seized in the searches in the case (RC-37/2020/NIA/DLI) registered suo-moto by the NIA on October 8, 2020, the agency said.

The case relates to activities of certain NGOs, trusts, societies and organisations involved in collecting funds domestically and abroad, and transferring the same to separatist and terrorist organisations to sustain terrorist and secessionist activities in Kashmir, it said.

The NIA had earlier conducted searches at 23 locations in Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Bangalore in the case.