india

Updated: Apr 17, 2019 02:04 IST

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth Rs 6.19 crore belonging to a Kashmiri businessman, Zahoor Ahmad Watali, as part of a money laundering probe related to the funding of separatists and terrorists in J&K.

The agency, which investigates money laundering and foreign exchange rule violations, also claimed that leaders of the Hurriyat Conference, an umbrella group of separatist organisations, were receiving funds “directly” from the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi and also through other conduits operating on behalf of India’s western neighbour.

Among the properties attached were land in Sozeith Goripora, Narbal and Budgam areas of Kashmir belonging to Watali and his family members which ED said were worth Rs 6.19 crores. The money laundering probe is based on a charge sheet filed by National Investigation Agency against Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed and other separatist leaders. Watali was arrested by the NIA in August 2017. “NIA probe also revealed that the All Party Hurriyat Conference and other secessionists instigate the general public, especially the youth, to observe strikes and issue directives to the masses to hold anti-India protests, demonstrations and processions through press releases, newspapers and social media. The secessionists instigate the masses to resort to violence especially stone-pelting on the security forces at encounter sites and also after the Friday prayers. This has been done willfully to create such circumstances which will arouse disaffection among the people of J&K towards the government of India,” ED said in a statement.