Hawala Conduit Zahoor Watali’s Properties Attached by NIA in Terror Funding Probe
12-06-2023 : In a significant development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken action against Zahoor Ahmed Shah Watali by attaching 17 properties belonging to him. This action comes as part of the ongoing investigation into the Hurriyat funding case, which resulted in the life imprisonment of JKLF commander Yasin Malik.
The properties that have been attached are located in the Handwara area of Kupwara. The NIA carried out this attachment on the orders of the Special NIA Court at Patiala House, invoking Section 33(1) of the UA(P) Act.
The investigations conducted by the NIA have revealed that Watali acted as a hawala conduit, receiving funds from Hafiz Saeed. Saeed, known as a “Specially Designated Global terrorist” by the United States and a “listed global terrorist” by the UN, was the mastermind behind the 2001 Parliament attack and the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
According to the NIA, Watali received substantial foreign remittances between 2011 and 2013 in his personal bank account and in the name of his firm, M/s ‘Trisson International’, based in Srinagar. Additionally, unexplained remittances were discovered in his NRE (Non-Residential External) bank accounts.
The NIA also uncovered a fraudulent land sale transaction involving Watali’s company, M/S ‘Trison Farms and Constructions Pvt. Ltd.’ He claimed to have sold a 20 kanals plot of land to Naval Kishore Kapoor, a co-accused in the case. However, investigations found that neither Watali nor his company had ownership rights to the plot of land mentioned in the revenue records. Presently, Watali is facing trial before the Special NIA Court in New Delhi.
The case involves Yasin Malik and 17 other individuals, including Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, the Amir of Jammat-ud-Dawah, and a top commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), as well as Mohammad Yusuf Shah, also known as Syed Salahuddin, a top commander of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen. The NIA filed charges against them in May 2017, following the registration of the case suo moto. In May 2022, Malik was convicted on various charges and sentenced to life imprisonment along with a fine.
The NIA stated that the case pertains to terrorist and secessionist activities in Jammu & Kashmir orchestrated by banned organizations like Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), among others. These groups were responsible for spreading terror and carrying out attacks on civilians and security forces in the Kashmir Valley. The investigation has revealed that these proscribed militant groups utilized the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC), formed in 1993, as a front to carry out and support secessionist activities in Kashmir. The accused, including the APHC, were found to be involved in a criminal conspiracy, instigating the general public and creating a volatile atmosphere in the region.
The funds raised by Watali from various sources were channeled to the Hurriyat leaders, furthering the cause of secessionism in Jammu & Kashmir and advocating for its separation from the Union of India. The NIA’s actions reflect its commitment to uncovering the truth behind the funding networks supporting these unlawful activities and ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to justice.
