The fresh attachments have been made in connection with a terror financing case against LeT Terrorist Hafiz Muhammad Saeed

Continuing its crackdown against terror funding, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday attached properties worth Rs 6.19 crore belonging to Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali and his family members in connection with terror financing case against Lakshar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed.

This is the second property of Watali attached by the investigative agency.

The agency had initiated its investigation under PMLA based, based on a charge sheet filed by National Investigation Agency (NIA) against Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Mohd. Yusuf Shah, Aftab Ahmad Shah, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Farooq Ahmad Dar, Mohammad Akbar Khanday, Raja Mehrajuddin Kalwal, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, Kamran Yusuf and Javed Ahmad Bhat under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967.

"Accused Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali has been found to be involved in fund raising and as a financial conduit for Hurriyat Leaders," said an officer of Enforcement Directorate.

NIA's investigation also revealed that the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and other secessionists instigated the public, especially 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 masses to resort to violence, especially stone-pelting on the security forces at encounter sites and also after the dispersal of Friday prayers. This has been done willfully to create such circumstances which will arouse disaffection among the people of Jammu and Kashmir towards the Government of India," said an officer.

According to ED, during investigations under PMLA, it was revealed that the Hurriyat leaders have received funds from Pakistan through conduits and also from the Pakistan High Commission directly.

"This was substantiated by an incriminating document seized from the house of Ghulam Mohd. Bhatt during search. Ghulam Bhat worked as the cashier-cum-accountant with Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali. The document clearly indicates that Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali was receiving money from Hafiz Saeed, from ISI, from the Pakistan High Commission at New Delhi and also from a source based in Dubai," said the ED.

Probe agency claims that Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali was remitting the same to the Hurriyat leaders, separatists and stone-pelters of Jammu and Kashmir.

"The document has been maintained in regular course of his business and is signed by Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali himself. This document also indicates that Hurriyat leaders were receiving funds from Pakistan through officials of Pakistan High Commission and through Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali," added the ED.

According to ED, the signature of Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali has also been verified and as per the expert report, his signature on the questioned document matches with his specimen handwriting as well as his admitted handwriting. 

Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali along with other nine accused are under judicial custody at central jail, Tihar, New Delhi.

The ED's investigation also revealed that another accused, Naval Kishore Kapoor, has mobilized funds from unknown sources in Dubai and remitted the same to Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali and his company, M/s Trison Farms and Construction Pvt. Ltd.

"The transactions were carried out in the guise of a lease agreement between M/s Trison Farms and Construction Pvt. Ltd. and Naval Kishore Kapoor which was found to be only a legal facade to bring funds from unknown sources in Dubai to India," claims the probe agency.

Ongoing investigations conducted by ED so far have resulted in quantification of proceeds of crime to the tune of Rs 7.22 crore.

One immovable property of accused Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, located in Gurugram and valued at Rs 1.03 crore was earlier attached provisionally under PMLA.