New Delhi, 01 October (H.S.): The Patiala House Court in Delhi on Thursday framed charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against seven accused, including Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik, in a money laundering case linked to alleged terror financing. Special Judge Prashant Sharma of the NIA Court passed the order framing charges. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for October 30.

Besides Yasin Malik, charges have been framed against Zahoor Ahmad Watali, Member of Parliament Engineer Rashid (Abdul Rashid Sheikh), Shabir Shah, Naval Kishore Kapoor, Trison Farms and Construction Pvt. Ltd., and Masrat Alam Bhat.

The accused could not be produced before the court due to security concerns. The court therefore directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to visit the respective jails and obtain their signatures.

According to the ED, transactions involving proceeds of crime amounting to approximately Rs 8.94 crore were uncovered in the case. The agency alleged that the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi was used as a conduit for the movement of funds. The funds were allegedly intended to finance terrorist and separatist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. The ED registered the case in 2017.

According to the ED, Yasin Malik had been involved in separatist activities in Jammu and Kashmir as the head of the JKLF since 1990. Ghulam Mohammad Bhat allegedly worked as a treasurer and accountant, while Zahoor Ahmad Watali was also associated with him in these activities.

During the examination of their accounts, the agency allegedly found that Yasin Malik, Shabir Shah and Masrat Alam had received foreign funding through Watali during the financial year 2015-16.

Yasin Malik has already been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Patiala House Court in a separate terror-funding case. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a petition before the Delhi High Court seeking commutation of Malik’s life sentence to the death penalty. The petition remains pending.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar