NIA attaches immovable properties of businessman Zahoor Watali in terror funding case [details]

Over a year after charges were framed against him in a terror funding case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) attached properties of prominent businessman of Jammu and Kashmir Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali on Monday.

According to reports, Watali's properties were attached in north Kashmir's Kupwara district in connection with a terror funding case.

Reports said a team of the NIA attached the immovable properties in the name of Watali at villages Baghatpora and Kachwari in the Handwara area of the north Kashmir district.

A team of NIA officials attached the properties measuring 13.3 Marlas, 8.6 Marlas, and 10.3 Marlas this morning. People have been informed about it by erecting a notice of attachment near the land.

The NIA has already attached Watali's house at Baghat Srinagar near Gurdwara on 31 May this year in connection with the case (RC-10/2017/NIA/DLI) on the orders by the special NIA court, Patiala House Court.

Charges were framed against Watali, others on May 19, 2022

Court has ordered framing of charges against him and other separatist leaders in a terror funding case.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) court, on May 19, 2022, had farmed charges against separatist leaders of Kashmir Valley including Watali and Pakistan-based terrorists in a terror funding case.

The NIA court had formally framed the charges against Kashmiri separatist leaders including Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate, Shabbir Shah, Masarat Alam, Md Yusuf Shah, Aftab Ahmad Shah, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Khan, Md Akbar Khanday, Raja Mehrajuddin Kalwal, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Abdul Rashid Sheikh, and Naval Kishore Kapoor.

Chairman of the banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Mohammad Yasin Malik had also pleaded guilty to all the charges, including those under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), before the NIA court in the same case. Later he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.

The charge sheet was also filed against Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, who have been declared proclaimed offenders (PO).

Watali has challenged charges framed against him

Arrested by the NIA in 2017 under various sections of UAPA in a case pertaining to secessionist activities, Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali has challenged charges framed against him in the Delhi High Court.
A bench of the Delhi High Court has already listed this case on August 3, 2023, for hearing.

The bench of Delhi High Court has asked the NIA to file a reply and case listed along with other connected matters on August 3, 2023.