Terror funding case: NIA court issues non-bailable warrant against LeT chief Hafiz Saeed, others

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Delhi issued anon-bailable warrant (NBW) against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief and 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and others in a terror-funding related money laundering case in Jammu and Kashmir.

The order came after the court took cognisance of a charge sheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under various provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

After hearing the matter, special Judge Praveen Singh issued production warrants against Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, separatist Altaf Ahmad Shah alias Funtoosh and UAE-based businessman Naval Kishore Kapoor, asking them to present before it. Watali, Shah and Kapoor are currently lodged in Tihar central jail.

The court also issued summons to Watali's company Trison Farms and Construction Pvt Ltd. The company will be represented by an authorised representative.

Representing the ED, Special Public Prosecutor Nitesh Rana, apprised the court that accused hatched a criminal conspiracy to carry out subversive and secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

The accused have allegedly established a network of cadres who were funded through Pakist agencies via hawala dealers and other various sources, Rana told the court.

The ED had filed a case based on a separate case being probed by the NIA. Earlier, the agency has charge-sheeted various accused in the matter.

In January 2018, the NIA charge-sheeted several aides of separatist leaders belonging to Kashmir along with Pakistan-based terrorist outfit leaders Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin in an alleged terror funding in the Kashmir valley.

Zahoor Watali was arrested in the case in August 2017 and Naval Kishor Kapoor was arrested in July 2018.

( With inputs from ANI )