Hawala case: absconding ex–J&K Minister held in Kathua

Money being used for terrorism and separatism in J&K, say security agencies

Former J&K Minister Jatinder Singh alias Babu Singh was arrested on Saturday in a hawala case that was busted in March, with the security agencies suspecting that money “was being used for terrorism and separatism in J&K”.   

Officials said Mr. Singh, who had been absconding since March 31, was arrested from Kathua district. Earlier, a lookout notice was issued for him on April 6.

In March, the police said they recovered ₹6.90 lakh from one Mohammad Shareef Shah, a resident of south Kashmir’s Kokernag. He was tasked by Mr. Singh, at present chairman of the Nature — Mankind Friendly Global Party, to collect money from Omer in Srinagar. According to the security agencies, Shah was an admin of a secret WhatsApp group with members from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh had said the hidden aim of the hawala money seemed “to fund separatists and terrorism in J&K”. “The money trail indicated that it was meant for anti–national activities,” the DGP said.

Mr. Singh, a Congress leader, was a Minister in the erstwhile State of J&K during the PDP–Congress coalition government.