A Delhi court on Friday ordered the commencement of trial against jailed Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik , Baramulla MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, alias Engineer Rashid, and five others in an alleged ₹ 8.94 crore terror-funding and money laundering case linked to Pakistan-based hawala channels.
Special Judge Prashant Sharma of Rouse Avenue courts, formally framing charges against the accused, directed that the recording of prosecution evidence will begin on November 19.
The development came after the court on September 9 ordered framing of charges against the accused, observing that there was sufficient prima facie material on record to raise a “strong suspicion” regarding the involvement of the accused in generating, receiving, and laundering proceeds of crime to fund secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.
The criminal activities under investigation generated proceeds of crime totalling ₹ 8.94 crore, according to ED. The proceedings were conducted in an in-camera hearing. Appearing through video conferencing from Tihar Jail, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik pleaded not guilty to the charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and stated that he would contest the case. The agency alleged that the money was subsequently received, transferred, concealed, possessed, acquired and used by the accused through different channels. The agency alleged these funds were used to sustain the JKLF and intensify secessionist violence.
The court had in September held that sufficient material existed to raise a “strong suspicion” against all seven accused for an offence under Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). “I conclude that prima facie, there is sufficient material on record based upon which strong suspicion is raised against all seven accused persons,” the special judge had said. The investigation further uncovered emails associated with Malik which, according to ED, indicated that he had developed a network to raise funds abroad for terrorist, secessionist and unlawful activities in J&K in the name of a “freedom struggle”.
