NIA raids homes of cross-LoC traders over terror funding
Those whose premises were searched include Tanveer Ahmad, Asif Lone, Tariq Ahmad and Bilal Bhat who have been associated with the cross-LoC trade.
Srinagar: National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday raided several locations in the Valley including offices and homes of four Kashmiri businessmen dealing in trade across the Line of Control (LoC) which remains suspended since April this year.
The local police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) assisted the NIA sleuths during raids, which were carried out in north-western Baramulla district, the witnesses said.
Those whose premises were searched include Tanveer Ahmad, Asif Lone, Tariq Ahmad and Bilal Bhat who have been associated with the cross-LoC trade. Earlier similar raids were earlier conducted by the NIA in Srinagar and southern Pulwama district.
The official sources said that these raids are being carried out in connection with the investigations being done by the NIA into the alleged terror funding.
They said that the agency is probing all aspects of funding of separatist leaders and militants and use of these funds which were obtained also through cross-LoC trade in fuelling the unrest in the Valley.
The agency has, since it began the probe in May 2017, arrested several separatist leaders and activists, a businessman and a lawyer and most of them are presently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar jail.
On April 18 this year, the Union Home Ministry suspended the cross-LoC trade indefinitely saying the government has received reports that the trade routes being “misused by some Pakistan based elements”.