ED attaches Watali property in J&K terror-financing case

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate has attached a property worth Rs 6.18 crore in Jammu and Kashmir belonging to a well-known associate of Hafeez Muhammad Saeed, founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-Ud-Dawa, in connection with a terror-financing case, officials here said.

The patch of land in Narbal, Budgam belongs to Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali and his family members. He is currently under judicial custody in a case being investigated by the National Investigative Agency.

The ED is pursuing the PMLA case based on a chargesheet filed by NIA, naming Saeed, Hizb-ul-Mujahiddin head Yusuf Salahuddin and others. According to investigations, during raids conducted at Watali's cashier/accountant's home, the agency recovered documents that revealed money trails originating from Saeed, ISI, and the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, officials claimed.

The seized documents signed by Watali show that he was passing the funds along to Hurriyat leaders, separatists, and stone-pelters in Jammu and Kashmir.

ED has further alleged that Watali also received funds from Dubai through hawala operator Naval Kishore Kapoor, who is also one of the accused in the case.

Watali is said to have received the money under the pretext of a lease agreement between his company Trison Farms and Construction Pvt Ltd and Kapoor, the agency said in a statement.

ED had previously attached another of Watali's properties in Gurugram, which was worth Rs 1.03 crore in he same case.