NIA INITIATES INVESTIGATION AGAINST TERROR FUNDING THROUGH ILLEGAL TRADE IN JAMMU & KASHMIR
Reliable information was received by the Central Government, that a large scale transfer of funds from Pakistan to India has been taking place, through the import of California Almonds (badam giri) via the Cross-LoC trade mechanism through the Trade Facilitation Centres (TFCs) located at Salamabad, Uri, District Baramulla and Chakkan-da-Bagh, District Poonch. This is in gross violation of the State policy of prohibition on trade in ‘third-party origin goods’ through this mechanism and Information indicated that these funds are being used for fomenting terrorism and separatism in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
2. The Central Government, having regard to the gravity of the said offence as well as its bearing on the National security is of the opinion that the offence involved is of raising funds for terrorist acts, which is punishable under section 17 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, a scheduled offence under the NIA Act, 2008. In view of the aforesaid opinion, the Central Government has issued orders under section 6(5) of the NIA Act, 2008, directing the National Investigation Agency, to take up the investigation on the aforementioned information regarding the crime.
3. Accordingly, the NIA Police Station at New Delhi has registered a case vide case no. RC-17/2016/NIA/DLI dated 16th Dec., 2016 against commission of offences under section 17 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967, as amended. An NIA team has presented the FIR before the NIA Special Court at Jammu and investigation teams of the NIA have conducted searches and seized several incriminating documents, at several places connected with the crime, in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, since the registration of the case. 4. Investigation into the case is continuing.
