As part of its crackdown on the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) in a terror funding case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches at multiple locations across Kashmir on Thursday.
The searches were conducted at the premises of JeI members and supporters at 11 locations in Baramulla and Budgam districts of Kashmir, a spokesperson of the anti-terror probe agency said.
“A total of 11 locations came under NIA’s scanner in Thursday’s searches in the case in which the JeI is accused of engaging in separatist and secessionist activities even after being declared an unlawful association under the UA (P) Act since its proscription on 28th February 2019,” he said and added the searches, conducted at the premises of the members and sympathisers of JeI, led to recovery of several digital devices and incriminating material.
The investigations so far by the NIA, which had suo moto registered the case on February 5, 2021, have revealed that JeI has been collecting money ostensibly for charitable purposes, such as promotion of health and education.
“It has instead been using the collected funds for carrying out unlawful activities. The NIA has further found that JeI members have been collecting money, both within and outside India, through donations particularly in the form of Zakat, Mowda and Bait-ul-Mal,” the NIA investigations reveal.
“The funds collected were used for carrying out violent and secessionist activities, and were also channeled to proscribed terrorist organisations, such as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and others through well organised networks of JeI cadres,” it said.
The NIA said JeI was also engaged in motivating impressionable youths of Kashmir and recruiting new members for carrying out "violent, disruptive and secessionist activities.”