Terror funding case: Fresh NIA raids at 9 NGOs, trusts in Kashmir & Delhi

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out fresh raids for the second day on Thursday on some more organisations as part of its investigations into NGOs within and outside Jammu and Kashmir that are allegedly being used as modes for terror funding.

In continuation of the searches carried out on Wednesday, seven more locations in Srinagar, Baramulla, Anantnag and Kulgam in the union territory and two locations in Delhi were raided, NIA spokesperson and deputy inspector general Sonia Narang said in a statement.

The case was registered by the NIA on receipt of “credible information” that certain NGOs and Trusts are collecting funds domestically and abroad through donations and business contributions in the name of various welfare activities such as public health and education.

The NIA alleged that these funds are sent to Jammu and Kashmir through various channels such as hawala and cash couriers and are used to carry out and sustain secessionist and terrorist activities in the erstwhile state.

Among those raided by the NIA on Thursday were JK Yateem Foundation at Srinagar and Kulgam, The Salvation Movement at Srinagar run by Zafar Akbar Bhat, Human Welfare Foundation at Delhi and Anantnag, Jammu and Kashmir Voice of Victims at Baramulla run by Abdul Qadeer, Falah-e-Aam Trust at Budgam run by GM Bhat and Charity Alliance at Delhi run by Zafar-ul-Islam, who is also the former chairman of Delhi Minorities Commission.

The NIA spokesperson said several incriminating documents and electronic devices have been seized during the searches.

The probe agency had on Wednesday raided several NGOs, human rights activists and the office of a prominent newspaper in Srinagar.

The searches were conducted at 10 locations in J&K’s Srinagar and Bandipora and one in Bangalore in connection with a case pertaining to so-called NGOs and trusts raising funds in India and abroad in the name of charitable activities and then using the money for separatist activities.

Former J&K chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said NIA has become the pet agency of the BJP-ruled centre government to “intimidate” people.

Kashmir Editors Guild (KEG) had also expressed its concern over the pre-dawn NIA raids on Greater Kashmir premises in the Srinagar Press enclave.

“Though the NIA after a five-hour wait claimed that the raid was on Greater Kashmir Trust, the latter said the investigating agency checked the computers and seized the hard drives. Kashmir media continues to get targeted, demonised, vilified and raided by both the state and non-state actors for a long time now,” KEG said in a statement adding that the valley’s media had proven record of being a professional institution that maintained textbook objectivity while maintaining its core journalistic values.

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