NIA's Crackdown On Terror Funding, Attaches Houses Of Four Accused In Narco-Terror Case In J-K's Kupwara

The preliminary questioning of Abdul Momin Peer, the driver of the car involved in the Handwara narco-terrorism case, proved to be a crucial turning point in the investigation.

New Delhi: In a significant move aimed at disrupting the terror funding in Kashmir, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken action in the Handwara narco-terrorism case involving two proscribed terrorist outfits, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM). The NIA has attached four properties and seized an amount of cash totaling Rs 2.27 crore in the Handwara area of Kupwara district crore in cash under Section 25 of the UAPA Act. 

The immovable properties attached are accused Afaq Ahmad Wani's two-storey house, accused Muneer Ahmad Pandey's single-storey house, accused Saleem Andrabi's house, and accused Islam-ul-Haq's two-storey house, it said.

These properties, believed to have been acquired through illicit means, have been confiscated as part of the NIA's efforts to disrupt the financial infrastructure supporting terrorist activities in the region.

NIA Apprehendes 12 Accused In The Case 

In a breakthrough, a total of 12 accused have been apprehended in connection with the case thus far. The NIA has charged 15 individuals.

The case registered under RC 03/2020/NIA/JMU ) relates to the use of the ‘proceeds of narcotic drugs’ to finance violent terrorist activities orchestrated by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) in the Handwara-Kupwara region. This disturbing revelation came to light following a routine vehicle check in the Langate area of Handwara, where law enforcement officials discovered a black bag containing a significant amount of Indian currency notes, predominantly in the denomination of 500.

Notably, the seizure was made from a white Creta car lacking a registration number, prompting immediate action by the authorities and the subsequent registration of the case by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The preliminary questioning of Abdul Momin Peer, the driver of the car involved in the Handwara narco-terrorism case, proved to be a crucial turning point in the investigation. During the initial searches in the houses of various accused, 21 kg of heroin was seized, in addition to various incriminating material, including large sums of cash.