Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday raided 15 locations across Jammu and Kashmir as part of its crackdown on the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), an illegal association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, in a terror funding case.

NIA teams swooped down on the premises of various suspects at five locations in Srinagar, three in Budgam, two in Kulgam, one in Anantnag, and four in Jammu, an official statement said.

“Incriminating documents and digital devices connected with the activities of JeI and its related Trusts in J&K were seized during the extensive searches, which also led to the recovery of over 20 lakh rupees in cash,” it added.

NIA investigations in the case, registered on February 5, 2021, have so far revealed that JeI and its members have continued to promote terrorist and secessionist activities in J&K even after the outfit was proscribed under the UA(P) Act in February 2019.

“Operatives of the banned organisation had been collecting funds through donations from within India and abroad,” NIA said.

As per NIA investigations, the funds were collected mainly in the form of Zakat, Mowda and Bait-ul-Mal, purported to promote charity and other welfare activities, such as health and education, but were instead being used for carrying out violent and secessionist activities.

It was further found that the funds raised by JeI were also being channelled to other proscribed terrorist organisations, such as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), etc, through well-organised networks of JeI cadres. JeI was also engaged in motivating impressionable youth and recruiting new members (Rukuns) in J&K to further its nefarious and secessionist activities.

NIA had earlier chargesheeted four accused persons in the case, in which investigations are continuing.

(With UNI inputs)