Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency said in a statement that it has filed a charge sheet against three persons in a case of cross-LoC trade and terror financing. The accused have been identified as Tanveer Ahmad Wani, Peer Arshad Iqbal and Bashir Ahmad Sofi, all residents of Jammu and Kashmir, against whom sections 120B and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Sections 17, 20, 21 of the Indian Penal Code , 39 and 40 were chargesheeted. ) Take action. According to the statement, the case registered on December 16, 2016 pertains to profiteering and money laundering through cross-LoC trade between Jammu and Kashmir and PoK and using that money to promote terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir .
Cross-LoC trade was started in 2008 through two Trade Facilitation Centers (TFCs) located at Salamabad, Uri in Baramulla district and Chakan-da-Bagh in Poonch district. As per the SOP of the trade mechanism, 21 items were allowed to be imported from PoK and exported from J&K. It was based on a barter system and no transaction of money was involved.
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After scrutiny of several documents, it has come to the fore that extravagant profits were made by the traders due to high import and low billing of imported almonds. It has also been found that some of the cross-LoC traders from PoK are crossed terrorists and have the support of terrorist organization Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM). This trading was suspended in April 2019, it reads.
Investigation revealed that the accused persons Tanveer Ahmad Wani and Peer Arshad Iqbal were cross-LoC traders and were handling several cross-LoC trade firms, which were registered in the names of themselves and their friends, relatives, employees etc. By export and under-invoicing of imported almonds from PoK based cross LoC traders, it read.
Investigation revealed that both the accused were also in business relation with Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists across the border in PoK. After raising the terror funds, accused Tanveer Ahmad Wani provided funds in cash to various terrorists belonging to HM, JeM (Jaish-e-Mohammed) etc.
Accused Peer Arshad Iqbal used to provide funds to former HM terrorist Bashir Ahmad Sofi. Further investigation is on in the matter, reads the statement.