Enforcement Directorate (ED) is revealing separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah's alleged link with terrorists. He was working as a hawala dealer for terrorist organisations. According to the findings of the investigation, he has been involved in carrying out illicit activities along with his accomplice Mohammad Aslam Wani, who is an activist of the banned militant organisation JeM
Enforcement Directorate (ED) is revealing separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah's alleged link with terrorists. He was working as a hawala dealer for terrorist organisations.
According to the findings of the investigation, he has been involved in carrying out illicit activities along with his accomplice Mohammad Aslam Wani, who is an activist of the banned militant organisation JeM (Jaish-e-Mohammad). He was using Aslam Wani as a carrier for collecting hawala money sent by his Pakistan based sympathisers through operators to be delivered in Srinagar.
ED has attached the proceeds of crime in the form of Shah's property which is in Srinagar.
"ED attaches under PMLA immovable property relating to Shabir Ahmad Shah in Srinagar in a terror financing case. Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached Proceeds of Crime in the form of property located in Effandi Bagh, Rawalpora, Srinagar belonging to Shabir Ahmad Shah being held in the name of his wife and daughters," ED said.
According to the sleuths, Shabir Shah has admitted that he does not have any source of income and has failed to explain any legitimate source of money for his expenses. The investigation also revealed that he was in touch with global terrorist Hafeez Sayeed, chief of banned outfit ‘Jamat-ud-Dawa’ based in Pakistan.
"Investigation has revealed that Shabir Ahmad Shah had been receiving money for carrying out separatist activities in J&K and has acquired various properties through a maze of dubious transactions," Enforcement Directorate added.
ED has claimed that property belonging to Shah attached by ED is located in the posh area of Efandi Bagh, Rawalpora in Srinagar and is held in the name of his wife and daughters. "It was shown that this property had been gifted to his wife and daughters by his sisters-in-law in 2005, and was purchased in their name by his father-in-law in 1999.
However, in spite of repeated opportunities given to his father-in-law and sisters-in-law, they have failed to justify the sources of fund to acquire the said property. The investigation has also revealed that Shabir Ahmad Shah is the de-facto owner of said property purchased with unexplained source of fund by his father-in-law," ED claims.
ED arrested Shabir Ahmad Shah in 2017 for the offence of money laundering. Delhi High Court granted Aslam Wani bail in January 2019, and Shabir Ahmad Shah is still in judicial custody. Earlier, in this case, Special Cell Delhi Police had filed a charge sheet under section 120B, 121, 121A, 122 and 123 of IPC, section 4&5 of Explosive Substance Act, section 17 & 23 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and section 25 of Arms Act.
The charge sheet has revealed that in 2005, Mohammad Aslam Wani was apprehended with 5 kgs of explosives, one Pistol with 15 live cartridges and a cash of Rs 62,96,000. In the disclosure before the Police, Aslam Wani had admitted that out of this cash Rs 52.96 lakh belonged to Shabir Shah and was to be delivered to him in Srinagar. He had further revealed that Shabir Shah was directing the hawala operators from Pakistan to deliver money to him in Delhi.
ED claims that during the investigation, Wani had also revealed that in the past too he had been acting as a carrier for Shabir Shah and has delivered Rs 2.08 crore on various occasions. It is also revealed that in the absence of Shabir Ahmad Shah, on some occasions, Wani has delivered hawala money to Shabir Ahmad Shas’s wife Dr Bilquies Shah in Srinagar. This amount of Rs 62.96 lakh recovered from Wani had earlier been attached by ED, and a Prosecution Complaint under PMLA was filed before the Competent Court at Patiala House.
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