Lagatar24 Desk
Srinagar(Jammu and Kashmir)[India], October 3: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday conducted searches at nine places in Jammu and Kashmir in its ongoing probe in connection with a large scale transfer of funds from Pakistan to Indfia through the import of California Almonds through cross-Line of Control (LOC) trade routes.
With the assistance of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Central Reserve Police Force and Indo-Tibetan Border Police, NIA conducted raids in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir at the premises of the suspected LoC traders in relation to the terror funding case. During the raids, NIA has collected various documents, digital devices and other incriminating materials from the premises of the suspects.
Notably, On December 16,2016, NIA filed a First Information Report (FIR) and started a probe after Union Home Ministry’s December 9,2016 order based on input regarding terror funding taking place through cross-LoC trade routes.
This LoC trade was started in 2008 as a part of a confidence building measure between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK). This trade is based on the barter system, however the third party origin goods were not allowed. But the Central government had received information of a large scale transfer of funds from Pakistan to India through the import of California Almonds via the cross-LOC Trade Faciliation Centres (TFC) located at Salamabad, URI nd Chakkan-Da-Bagh. Considering the violation of the policy of the Prohibition of trade in ‘third party foreign goods’,and that the funds were being used for fomenting terrorism and separatism in Jammu and Kashmir, the NIA registered the case under Section 17 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Following this, in 2017, NIA also questioned several government employees posted at Trade Faciliation Centres (TFC) in the Uri area.
