Terror funding case: ED attaches Delhi flat, bank account of Jammu and Kashmir resident

Fourteen years after a resident of Jammu & Kashmir was caught with explosives and cash, the Enforcement Directorate has attached his apartment in Delhi and a bank account in a terror funding case. Aijaz Hussain Khawaja, a resident of Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir is being probed by the ED in a 2006 terror funding case for allegedly receiving money through illegal routes from Pakistan for terror activities in the valley.

Aijaz Hussain Khawaja was caught by the Special Cell of Delhi Police with one bag containing 2.05 kilograms of RDX and Rs 49 lakh in cash. Khawaja was convicted and sentenced to 7 years in jail under Explosive Substances Act, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The seized amount was confiscated by the trial court.

Interestingly, Khawaja was one of 44 winners of the President’s National Awards for artisans and handicrafts in 2003.

The probe agency claims that during their investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), it was revealed that the Khawaja was operating as a Hawala operator for financing various terror-related illegal activities in J&K. “As a Hawala operator, Khawaja was in touch with Muktiar Ahmed Bhatt alias Ahmed, an operative of Pakistan based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba. Khawaja was tasked to undertake Hawala transactions and dealings for various separatists and terror activities,” said the ED.

According to the financial probe agency, the attached assets of Khawaja, which are part of the proceeds of crime, consist of a portion of a residential flat at Jangpura, New Delhi and money in a bank account held by the wife of accused Aijaz Hussain Khawaja.

The attachment has been made under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The book value of the attached properties is Rs 7.32 lakh, however, according to officials, the current market value is much higher.