Former J-K minister wanted in Hawala racket case arrested

Jammu: Former Jammu and Kashmir minister Jatinder Singh alias ‘Babu Singh’, the main accused in a case related to the recent recovery of Hawala money meant for subversive activities, was arrested from Kathua district on Saturday, a police officer said.

Singh was at large since March 31 after police busted a Hawala racket here and issued a lookout notice for him on April 6.

”He (the former minister) was arrested from Kathua district and is being brought to Jammu for questioning,” Senior Superintendent of Police, Jammu, Chandan Kohli, told PTI.

Singh was a minister in the PDP-Congress government in 2002-2005 and now is the chairman of an organisation, Nature-Mankind Friendly Global Party.

Mohammad Shareef Shah, a resident of south Kashmir’s Kokernag, was arrested with the Hawala money on March 31 from the Gandhi Nagar area of Jammu and his questioning revealed that he was tasked by Singh, a resident of Kathua district, to collect the money from Srinagar.

Three persons – Sidhant Sharma of Kathua and S Gurdev Singh and Mohd Shrief Sartaj of Jammu – have also been detained for questioning in connection with the case, police said.

On April 2, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh had said that the politician is absconding and he will be traced soon.

”After his questioning, a complete picture will emerge in the case which is linked to Pakistan and separatism… some people have already been arrested and the money trail clearly indicated that it was meant for subversive and anti-national activities,” he had said.

Shah has also disclosed names of his foreign associates including Javed and Khatib of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Farooq Khan of Toronto (Canada), officials said.

He was also running a group on social media platforms having members from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia as well, they said.