The state investigation agency (SIA) on Wednesday conducted searches at five locations in South Kashmir in terror finding case that is being investigated by the agency.
Three search-cum-raids were conducted in Anantnag district and two in neighbouring Kulgam district. “These raids were conducted in connection with an ongoing investigation of a terror funding case FIR 311/2023 of Anantnag police station registered on November 19, 2023 under sections 13, 17, 18, 20, 38 and 40 of the UAPA and 120B, 121A and 121 of the IPC and transferred to the SIA Kashmi,” the police spokesman said in a statement.
Giving details, the spokesman said Zaffar Hussain Bhat, alias Khursheed, alias Khursheed Kashmiri of Pahalgam, Sirgufwara, Ananatnag, is a close associate of Ghulam Nabi Khan, alias Amir Khan, deputy chief of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and both are notorious designated individual terrorists under the UAPA, declared proclaimed offenders and having red notices of Interpol issued against them in several terror funding cases of the NIA, including the famous Jammu and Kashmir Affectees Relief Trust (JKART) case.
“Khursheed Kashmiri is also wanted in Sanjay Sharma murder case of the SIA for his role in arranging and delivering the weapon of offence and also other arms and ammunition consignments at different locations in Jammu and Kashmir through his network of associates. Hizb Ul Mujahideen with active connivance of Mohd Yusuf Shah@Syed Salahudeen, chief of HM and the United Jihad Council and handlers of ‘Hizbul-Mujahideen’ (HM) and ‘Lashkar-E-Taiba’ (LeT), proscribed terrorist organisations in India, have worked out a detailed terror-funding plan of systematically and regularly financing of their active, arrested terrorists, families of killed terrorists and their associates, belonging to these proscribed terrorist organisations ₹15,000 per member so as to sustain terrorism in the J&K,” he said.
The spokesman said Zaffar Hussain Bhat @Khursheed Kashmiri with his associates spread across the Kashmir are raising, collecting, receiving, transporting, distributing and delivering the terror money to active and arrested terrorists of HM and their kith and kin to further terrorist, unlawful, subversive and secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and other places of India and also to disturb the communal harmony, spread disaffection towards India and challenge the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country by waging war against India.
{{/usCountry}}The spokesman said Zaffar Hussain Bhat @Khursheed Kashmiri with his associates spread across the Kashmir are raising, collecting, receiving, transporting, distributing and delivering the terror money to active and arrested terrorists of HM and their kith and kin to further terrorist, unlawful, subversive and secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and other places of India and also to disturb the communal harmony, spread disaffection towards India and challenge the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country by waging war against India.
{{/usCountry}}“Zaffar Hussain Bhat uses VoIP based encrypted messaging applications to communicate with his associates to plan, control and execute their movements and also to share the lists of the beneficiaries of these terror funds. During Wednesday’s searches, some crucial digital and documentary evidence like cell phones, pen drives, SIM cards, data cards, bank documents, passports etc., relevant to the ongoing investigation were recovered and seized,” the spokesman said.
Police said on November 19, a close associate of Khursheed Kashmir has already arrested with terror fund to the tune of ₹5 lakh in this case.