The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday raided multiple locations in Srinagar, Baramulla and Kupwara in connection with the ongoing probe into the alleged ‘terror funding’ to create ‘unrest’ in the Kashmir Valley.
“The NIA conducted searches at 12 locations belonging to separatists and hawala operators in Kashmir Valley in connection with the Kashmir terror funding case. The locations are spread over Srinagar, Handwara, Kupwara and Pulwama,” an NIA spokesperson said.
An official in Srinagar said the driver, Ghulam Nabi, and three houses of the relatives of businessman Zahoor Watali, brother of former inspector general of police Ali Muhammad Watali, were raided in Srinagar and different localities of Tangmarg, Baramulla.
Watali’s Srinagar house was first raided by the NIA on June 3 and he was questioned in the money laundering case.
“A house belonging to Shafi Reshi, advocate and premises related to Zahoor Watali were searched by the NIA teams and a lot of incriminating material, suspect financial records and property-related documents and electronic devices including mobile phones, pen drives and hard drives have been seized during the searches. Some of the documents seized relate to receipt of money from suspect foreign sources and distribution of money so received to certain persons in Kashmir valley,” said the NIA spokesperson.
He said searches are continuing and the suspects are being questioned about the incriminating recoveries made from them.
Mr. Reshi is uncle of ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) MLC Yasir Reshi. The NIA officials searched the house for several hours.
Most lawyers in Srinagar courts boycotted work to protest against the NIA raids on Mr. Reshi, who is considered close to Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Geelani.
In Kupwara, the NIA sleuths raided the house of a student in Machipora of Handwara. The student is pursuing MBBS from Pakistan.
Two other residences of local businessmen in Handwara’s Bakhiaker area were also raided.
One accountant of a private plywood company was also questioned.
