Srinagar, July 21: While a journalist was arrested by Police in a terror funding case on Friday, female separatists Zamrooda Habid and Yaseem Raja had already been arrested in the case besides two other Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) associates.
The case was registered at Police Station Nowgam in Srinagar in February this year after Police during a checking at a checkpoint arrested three LeT associates along with over Rs 31.65 lakh and other incriminating materials from their possession.
They were identified as Umar Adil Dar, Bilal Asmad Sidiqi and Salik Mehraj.
Dar was associated with separatists.
In February, a police party of Police Station Nowgam during routine checking at Lasjan Crossing on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway had spotted three suspicious individuals coming from Lasjan towards the highway carrying a blue colour cricket kit bag trying to avoid checking at the checkpoint.
However, the police party managed to stop them.
During checking of the kit bag carried by Dar, Rs 31,65,200, a mobile phone, and three pages of LeT letterhead were recovered.
On personal search of the two other persons, Sidiqi and Mehraj, four pages each of the LeT letterhead were recovered.
During preliminary investigation, it came to the fore that the trio was working as terrorist associates of the LeT.
After the recovery, Police investigated the case thoroughly.
During investigation, the names of Yasmeen Raja who was once chairperson of Muslim Khawateen Markaz (MKM) and Zamrooda Habib, who was also chairperson of MKM were also arrested.
The Police did not stop investigation there.
Taking investigations forward, Police on Thursday arrested a “journalist” Muzamil Zahoor Malik of Pattan, Baramulla.
“In continuation of investigation of FIR No 20/23 under Sections 120 B, 121, and 121A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 13, 18, 39, and 40 of the ULAP Act wherein recovery of Rs 31.65 lakh was effected. One more accused Muzamil Zahoor Malik, son of Zahoor Ahmad of Indergam Pattan has been arrested,” Police said. “He is a self styled journalist.”
Police said Muzamil Zahoor had opened a fake account on forged identity in a bank for transactions related to furtherance of the activities of the banned LET outfit.
“He had received funds in lakhs meant for terror activities in this account from the main terror hawala operator of LeT,” Police said. “Incriminating material has also been seized from the accused at the time of his arrest. The accused has been taken on a seven-day remand for custodial examination.”
Senior Police officials said that they received the money as part of a conspiracy to strengthen its cadres within Srinagar district.
“They received money on the directions of their handlers based in Pakistan as a part of a larger criminal conspiracy hatched by the terrorist organisation within and across the border to pass, raise money, and funds for furthering their activities and causing large-scale disturbances in J&K,” they said.
