Hawala: NIA links Geelani aide to ISI

The National Investigation Agency,probing into a hawala racket involving a close aide of Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA),probing into a hawala racket involving a close aide of Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani,recently filed a chargesheet against four accused and named Geelani in one of the instances where he is alleged to have received hawala money.

Those who were chargesheeted are Ghulam Mohammad Bhat,an aide of Geelani and legal advisor of the Hurriyat,Mohd Sidiq Ganai,Ghulam Jeelani Lilo,Farooq Ahmed Dagga. The NIA is still investigating the matter.

It has been found that from 2008 to 2011,Rs 4,57,40,000 was transferred from Pakistan to the Valley using the hawala route.

The money,according to the NIA,had been facilitated by a Hizbul Mujahideen handler based in Pakistan,Maqbool Pandit,who acts as a hawala operator for the LeT and HM and helps them route money through his contacts in Delhi and other cities. The NIA has learnt that Pandit is the father-in-law of Bhats son.

Investigators said Bhat had joined Jamat-e-Islami in 1992. In 2003-04,he joined Tehrik-e-Hurriyat,headed by Geelani.

In a 20-page chargesheet,the NIA has brought on record a 2007 case in which Bhats wife Jamali Khan was detained at Udhampur and Rs 46,89,500 was seized from the CNG tank of a Tata Sumo.

Investigations revealed that the money belonged to Bhat and was to be delivered to Geelani.

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Ganai,who according to investigators is the key to the entire hawala racket,was a member of People League,a separatist organisation since 1990. From 1998 to 2002,he was the representative of People League in Islamabad. He went to Pakistan on a valid passport and came in contact with Col Abdullah and Major Iqbal of the ISI. He also came in contact with Pandit,a resident of Khore in Pattan. Later,he went to Nepal on a Pakistani Passport, read the chargesheet.

In 2008,Ganai conspired with Aizaz Maqbool Bhat alias Ejaj Engineer of Saudi Arabia and Pandit was tasked to collect and disburse hawala money received from Pakistan to separatists and terror groups. Ganai was joined by Bhat,Lillo and Dagga. His contact in Delhi,a resident of Bara Hindu Rao,is now a witness in the case.