Probing terror funding, SIA raids eight places in J&K

PTI

Srinagar, March 18

The State Investigation Agency (SIA) of the J&K Police on Saturday conducted raids at eight places in a case related to collection of funds by Maulvi Sarjan Barkati, the face of “anti-national” protests in 2016, and using the same for terror campaigns and also personal gains, officials said.

The SIA had lodged a case against Barkati earlier this year. According to officials, over Rs 1.5 crore were generated through crowdfunding and from suspected terror sources, and utilised for personal benefits and in furtherance of secessionist-terrorist campaigns.

In 2016, Barkati, a resident of Shopian, mobilised thousands of people for a violent agitation through his incendiary oratory. The SIA has so far identified 10 suspects whose involvement has surfaced in the initial investigation. The early morning raids spread over many districts were underway till filing of this report. With the seizures of gadgets, incriminating material and other corroborative evidence, the SIA is hopeful that the searches would enable it to extract some vital leads, including on whether these funds had anything to do with terror and Hurriyat finances.

Preliminary investigations have shown Barkati diverted a substantial part of the funds for his personal benefits and purchased a piece of land worth Rs 45 lakh in Anantnag on the name of his wife, which he subsequently sold for Rs 72 lakh. He also built a palatial house using public money.

He has also purchased five kanals of land to establish a madrassa, which according to credible information is meant for making money and providing a platform to anti-national elements and also aimed at being a breeding ground for luring youngsters into terrorism, officials said. The accused breached the public trust through emotional blackmailing by building a personal fortune with the funds donated to him by people for daily sustenance. He also camouflaged money coming from suspicious sources under the garb of crowdfunding for the furtherance of the secessionist-terrorist campaigns, the officials added.