Police seal properties of militant sympathisers

In an unprecedented action in more than two decades of militancy, Jammu and Kashmir Police have attached properties of a separatist leader and a militant sympathiser for allegedly raising property by terror money and funding militants through covert channels.

The house of separatist leader Ghulam Mohammad Khan was sealed and attached by the police in Natipora here on Saturday. The order number 1762/2012 issued by the Director General Police reveals that Khan amassed wealth by acting as a conduit to the banned Harkat-e-Jihadi-Islami outfit and acquired a house for strengthening the designs of the outfit in Srinagar.

“On perusal of records and evidence collected by I/O (Investigating Officer) in the course of investigations so far, I am satisfied that a case of seizure of property has been made out,” the order reads.

Khan, an active leader of the hardline Hurriyat faction headed by Syed Ali Geelani, along with his wife and four children, were evacuated from their house at Maisuma Colony, Natipora, by the police and local administration officials.

‘Khan being set up’

However, relatives of the separatist leader said the government framed him illegally. “The property has been raised after selling our ancestral land,” Khan’s family said in a statement, adding that the house was constructed while Khan was under detention.
The police charged Khan under Section 120 B of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), hatching criminal conspiracy, 489 C (RPC), dealing in illegal currency, 7/25 of the Indian Arms Act, dealing with possession of weapons illegally and 40/A under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA)

Under UAPA provisions, property of a person could be seized if there is sufficient proof that the place is raised by terror money or could be used for terror activities.
In another case, the police attached the house and nearly two acres of land belonging to Abdul Razaq Lone and his son Abdul Hamid of Wugbugh, Sopore, in north Kashmir, after they were allegedly found involved in funding militancy through covert channels.

“This property is attached under section 25 of ULA (P) Act and shall not be transferred or dealt otherwise without the prior permission of the investigating officer,” read the placards erected at the attached spots of the property.
“It was established that brother of the accused Abdul Hamid namely Abdul Majeed who is a member of banned terrorist organization Hizb-ul-Mujahideen is presently based in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK),” a police spokesperson said, adding that Majeed had asked Hamid to transfer the value share of his landed property to him through militant channels.

“Hamid has already handed over an amount of Rs 3 lakh as an instalment of the value share of the property of his brother to the militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operating in Sopore,” he claimed.

Superintendent Police, Sopore, Imtiyaz Hussain told Deccan Herald that based on credible evidence that the remaining portion of the land and house was likely to be used for funding the terrorist organisation, the property was attached.

“Some other cases of militant funding in Sopore area have also surfaced during the course of investigation for which action under law is being contemplated and none will be spared,” he warned.

In 2001, house of a militant supporter was sealed under Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO) in the old city area of Srinagar.