Terror financing case: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday attached the immovable properties of Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) chief Shabir Ahmad Shah in connection to a terror financing case. JKDFP is a separatist political party launched by Shah in 1998 which favours tripartite talks involving India, Pakistan and Kashmir's representatives. According to the agency, Shah's property located in Effandi Bagh, Rawalpora which was being held in the name of his wife and daughters were seized. The attachment was made under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.


It was shown that the property had been gifted to Shah's wife and daughters by his sisters-in-law in 2005, which was purchased in their name by his father-in-law in 1999, said the ED. "In spite of repeated opportunities given to his father-in-law and sisters-in-law, they failed to justify the sources of funds to acquire the property," ED statement added further.

Shah has been involved in carrying out "illicit activities" along with his accomplice Mohd Aslam Wani, an activist of the banned Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), said the ED. The agency also stated that Shah received money for carrying out separatists activities in the valley. ED further alleged that the JKDFP was in touch with Hafiz Saeed, the founder of terror outfit Jama'at-ud-Da'wah (JuD).

“Shah had been receiving money for carrying out separatist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and has acquired various properties through a maze of dubious transactions," the ED said. Both Wani and Shah were arrested by the ED in 2017 on charges of money laundering. Wani was granted bail by the Delhi High Court in January 2019. Shah is still in judicial custody.

During his custody, Wani reportedly admitted that Rs 52.96 lakh of the money belonged to Shah and was to be delivered to him in Srinagar. Wani also revealed that Shah was directing hawala operators from Pakistan to deliver money to him in Delhi. Wani also informed police that in the past also he has been acting as a carrier for Shah and has delivered Rs 2.08 crore on various occasions.