Terror funding case: Pak-based JeM commander among 5 chargsheeted in Jammu

JAMMU: The State Investigation Agency Tuesday filed a chargesheet against five persons including a Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad commander in a terror funding case registered last year after the recovery of Rs 43 lakh from a Kashmir-bound vehicle.

The chargesheet was filed before the NIA special court Jammu under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act and Indian Penal Code, an official of the SIA said.

Those accused in the case include JeM commander Ashiq Nengroo alias Ashiq Molvi, a resident of Hanjan Bala village of Rajpora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, who is presently operating from across the border, the official said.

Others chargesheeted are Muzammil Ahmad Malik of Pulwama and Ravi Kumar alias Nona, Jaideep Dhawan alias Deep and Amarbir singh alias Gopi Mahal all residents of Punjab.

The case pertains to the seizure on November 16, 2021 of Rs 43 lakh by the Jammu Police at Sidhra bridge from three persons travelling in a passenger taxi towards Kashmir.

The case was transferred to SIA on January 1.

The original chargesheet was filed on May 14 this year against two residents of Pulwama’s Dalipora village — Mouzzam Parvez and Umar Farooq — who had collected the cash from Amritsar in Punjab.

“Investigations have revealed that the accused Parvez and Farooq had conspired with Muzammil Malik and accused Nengroo and knowingly facilitated the movement of terror funds which were to be further distributed to JeM terrorists operating in valley for launching terrorist attacks in India,” the official said.

He said the terror funding was facilitated by Malik, who had managed the travel Parvez and Farooq in his truck, and Punjab-based gangsters and narcotics smugglers who delivered the terror funding amount.

“Parvez and Farooq had received the illegal terror funding amount of Rs 15 lakhs as per the directions received from Pakistan-based designated terrorist (Nengroo) from Amarbir Singh at Amritsar at a pre-decided location on Amritsar highway. He was assisted by his close associates Ravi Kumar and Jaideep Dhawan,” the official said.

Arms and ammunition were also recovered from the residence of Kumar at Amritsar, he said.

He said Amarbir Singh is a gangster in Punjab associated with narcotics and weapons smuggler Baljinder singh alias Billa Mandiala and is involved in more than 23 FIRs of murder and extortion. (PTI)