Delhi High Court

Terror Funding Case: Zahoor Watali Moves Delhi HC Against Charges Framed

Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali today moves to Delhi High Court against charges framed by the trial court against him in a terror financing case being investigated by National Investigation Agency (NIA).

He was arrested by the NIA in 2017 under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in a case pertaining to the terrorist and secessionist activities that disturbed the state of Jammu & Kashmir.

Last year in May, the NIA Court (Trial Court) framed charges against Watali and others under various sections of IPC and UAPA.

Previously, the court formally framed the charges against Kashmiri separatist leaders including Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate, Shabbir Shah, Masarat Alam, Md Yusuf Shah, Aftab Ahmad Shah, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Khan, Md Akbar Khanday, Raja Mehrajuddin Kalwal, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Abdul Rashid Sheikh, and Naval Kishore Kapoor.

Separatist leader Mohammad Yasin Malik pleaded guilty to all the charges, including those under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), before the NIA court in the same case. Later he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Therefore, the chargesheet was also filed against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, who have been declared proclaimed offenders (PO) in the case by the NIA Court.

The Bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Talwant Singh sought a response from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the matter and listed it for hearing on May 3, 2023.

According to the NIA, Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali along with others were the fund-raisers and financial conduits. Advocate Shariq Reyaz appeared for the Watali in the Delhi High Court.

According to the NIA chargesheet, the investigation revealed that the secessionists were mobilizing funds from all possible sources to fuel unrest and support the ongoing secessionist & terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.
The secessionists were getting funds from Pakistan-based terrorist organizations and local donations.

The NIA stated that during the investigation, a document was seized from the house of Ghulam Mohd Bhatt which showed Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali was receiving money from Hafiz Saeed (Head of Jamat-ud-Dawa) and was remitting the same to the Hurriyat leaders, separatists and stone pelters of J&K.

Meera Verma

Recent Posts

Supreme Court Says “Marriage Is Relationship Built On Mutual Trust, Companionship”

The Supreme Court has upheld a decision by the Madras High Court granting a divorce…

1 day ago

Delhi HC Grants Anticipatory Bail To Lawyer In Brother’s Criminal Case

The Delhi High Court has granted transit anticipatory bail to a lawyer whose brother is…

2 days ago

Justice Madan B Lokur Appointed As Chairperson of UN Internal Justice Council

Former Supreme Court Justice Madan B Lokur has been recently named the chairperson of the…

2 days ago

Karnataka High Court Directs NLSIU To Implement 0.5% Reservation For Transgender Persons

The Karnataka High Court has recently directed the National Law School of India University (NLSIU)…

2 days ago

Allahabad HC Directs UP Vigilance To Investigate Himalayan Cooperative Housing Land Issue

The Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh Vigilance Department to investigate the Himalayan…

2 days ago

Allahabad HC Grants Stay On Mohammed Zubair’s Arrest In Religious Enmity Case

The Allahabad High Court on Friday issued an order staying the arrest of Mohammed Zubair,…

2 days ago