Srinagar: Security agencies have arrested 98
persons and seized over Rs one crore since 2009 as part of
efforts to check pumping of hawala money into Jammu and
Kashmir for funding secessionism and militancy.
The arrests were made in connection with the Hawala money
over the past two and a half years and Rs 1.23 crore in Indian
currency were recovered from them, the state government today
informed the Legislative Assembly.
Of the arrested persons, 48 were found misusing trade
across the Line of Control (LoC) and Rs 73,34,410 along with
encashed cheque worth Rs one lakh have been recovered from
them.
The highest number of 66 arrests were made in 2009 and
Rs 77 lakh was recovered that year. Only 15 persons were
arrested and nearly Rs 10 lakh seized from them in 2010 - the
year when Kashmir witnessed massive separatist sponsored
protests ringing normal life to almost standstill between June
and October, leaving nearly 120 persons dead.
As many as 17 persons were arrested till July this year
and Rs 36,17,000 were recovered from them, the government said
replying to a question by Chaman Lal Gupta (BJP) regarding
recovery of hawala money in the state.
The money was meant for Hurriyat Conference, Jammu and
Kashmir Liberation Front, Islamic Students Front, Mass
Movement, Peoples Conference, Mahaz-e-Azadi and Democratic
Freedom Party besides militant outfits - Hizbul Mujahideen,
Lashker-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Al-Badr, Harkat-ul-
Mujahideen, Al-Umer, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen, Al-Burq and Islamic
Front.
In addition to Indian currency, the agencies recovered
73,500 (Saudi Riyal), five Euro notes of 500 denomination
valuing Rs 1.50 lakh, 2000 UK pounds and cheques worth Rs
50,000.
The government said a number of steps have been taken to
check the menace of hawala money which is being generally used
for carrying out terrorist and separatist activities in the
state.
"Intelligence agencies have been tasked to collect
information through various means and action is being taken on
the information," the government informed the House.
It said modern equipment are being installed on the Line
of Control (LoC) to check the hawala transactions.
Financial agencies have also been provided necessary
guidelines to track and check suspicious bank accounts, it
said, adding every possible effort is being made to plug the
infiltration routes.
Nakas are being established at various places for
effective checking of hawala transactions, it added.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, September 27, 2011, 20:56