Lagatar24 Desk
Srinagar, May 13: The Jammu and Kashmir State Investigation Agency (SIA) launched searches on Friday at nine locations throughout the state today in connection with a case involving the recent seizure of Hawala money.
According to government sources, searches are underway at the offices and homes of former state minister Babu Singh, his allies Sidhant Sharma and Ashok Kumar Bali, as well as a close aide of ex-Khalistan movement leader Gurdev Singh and Himmat Singh.
Notably, from 2002 to 2005, Babu Singh served as a minister in the PDP-Congress cabinet and is now the head of the ‘Nature-Mankind Friendly Global Party.’ On April 9, Babu Singh was apprehended in Kathua. He has been on the run since March 31, when police in Jammu dismantled a Hawala ring.
In connection with the hawala transaction case, Jammu and Kashmir police detained Md Shareef Shah from Jammu on March 31 and recovered Rs 6.90 lakh from his possession.
The police stated they have detailed information on how hawala money was handled in Jammu.
When questioned, Shah revealed that he was assigned to collect the money from one Omer in Srinagar by Jatinder Singh alias Babu Singh. Shah arrived in Jammu after collecting money from Omer and was apprehended.
“Jamaat activists’ links with former state minister Babu Singh have come to light,” a senior SIA official said.
He also named his local and international associates, Javed and Khatib from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), and Faroow Khan from Toronto, Canada. Md Shareef Shah is also the administrator of a secret WhatsApp group with members from other nations, according to the police.
