Srinagar, June 16: National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday carried out searches at six locations in connections with Jammu and Kashmir in Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) militant “funding case.” 

“NIA conducted searches at six locations in Baramullah, Budgam and  Srinagar districts,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

The case, NIA said, pertains to the activities of the members of JeI who have been “collecting funds domestically and abroad through donations particularly in the form of Zakat, Mowda and Bait-ul-Mal purportedly to further charity and other welfare activities but are using funds so collected for violent and secessionist activities.”

“The funds being raised by JeI are also channelized to proscribed (militant) organisations such as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and others through well organised networks of JeI cadres,” NIA claimed, adding, “JeI has also been motivating impressionable youth of Kashmir and recruiting new members (Rukuns) in J&K to participate in disruptive secessionist activities.”

The case was registered by NIA suo-moto on 5 February 2021.

“During the searches conducted today at the premises of office bearers and members of JeI various incriminating documents and electronic devices were seized,” NIA said, adding, “Further investigation in the case continues.”

The raids come day after NIA carried searches in connection with a case related to cross LoC trade..