On Sunday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried raids at 48 locations, including residences of the leaders of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) across Jammu and Kashmir.
Raids were conducted in Srinagar, Anantnag, Bandipora, Baramulla, Budgam, Ganderbal, Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian, and Kupwara districts of Kashmir Valley and Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri, and Ramban districts of Jammu province. Houses of four former heads of the banned religious organization were raided by the sleuths of NIA.
The raids were conducted at residences of the leaders who were office bearers of the banned religious organization. The raids started early this morning and continued till evening. Several NIA teams had arrived in Srinagar for the last 10 days and booked around 140 vehicles for carrying out such raids.
Residences, officers, schools, trusts of JeM raided by NIA
Reports said that the residence of Advocate Zahid Ali, chief spokesperson of Jamaat-e-Islami, and office of Falah-e-Aam, a trust of Jamaat-e-Islami was also raided by the NIA sleuths.
According to reports in local media, the NIA conducted raids at the residence of former JeI 'Amir' (district head), Mohammad Abdullah Wani of Wadwan in district Budgam at his present residence in Mander Bagh Baghat Srinagar. The raids were also conducted at the residences of JeI leaders Zahoor Ahmad Reshi and Mehrajdin Reshi sons of Mohammad Afzal Reshi in the Safapora area of Bandipora district.
The NIA also raided residences of two JeI leaders including Ghulam Hassan Shiekh, and Mohammad Yosuf Rather in district Kulgam. They also raided the house of Abdul Hameed Bhat in district Ganderbal.
The raids were also conducted at Manigam in Lar area of the Ganderbal district at the house of Gul Mohammad War who was former JeI head for district Ganderbal. The residence of Dr. Mohammad Sultan Bhat, a senior Jamaat leader at his Srinagar residence was also raided. Bhat is presently staying in Pakistan since 2019.
Jamaat was banned in J&K in 2019
The Home Ministry had banned the Jammu and Kashmir-based group, Jamaat-i-Islami (JeI), as an unlawful association under Section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 in 2019. This action was taken within a couple of days after the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, 219.
While banning JeI, the government made it clear that group was indulging in activities that were prejudicial to internal security and public order and had the potential of disrupting the unity and integrity of the country.
The Union Government observed that the JeI was in touch with terror outfits and supported extremism and terrorism in Jammu, Kashmir, and elsewhere. Several members of the group were detained or arrested in a crackdown post-Pulwama terror attack.
Schools run by JeI spread the anti-India ideology
Schools run by the Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT), an offshoot of JeI, are spreading the ideology of the separation of J&K from India and its merger with Pakistan. To spread the ideology of terrorism and separatism, JeI has opened schools in different parts of J&K under the guise of various trusts.
JeI members misusing charity funds terror groups
"The case was registered by NIA on 05.02.2021 in pursuance to order from Ministry of Home Affairs relating to separatist and secessionist activities of JeI, an unlawful association under the UA(P) Act, even after its proscription on 28.02.2019. The members of the organization have been collecting funds domestically and abroad through donations particularly in the form of Zakat, Mowda, and Bait-ul-Mal purportedly to further charity and other welfare activities but these funds are instead being used for violent and secessionist activities," the official order read.
"The funds raised by JeI are also being channelised to proscribed terrorist organisations such as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and others through well-organized networks of JeI cadres. JeI has also been motivating impressionable youth of Kashmir and recruiting new members ( Rukuns) in J&K to participate in disruptive secessionist activities," it added.
