Delhi Court Orders PMLA Charges Against Yasin Malik
Delhi court finds prima facie material against Malik and six others over alleged foreign funding routed through hawala channels
- Delhi court directs framing of PMLA charges against Yasin Malik and six others.
- ED alleges foreign funding was routed through hawala channels.
- Agency puts alleged proceeds of crime at nearly ₹8.95 crore.
- Case originated from an NIA FIR and ED investigation in 2017.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 1st Oct: A special court in Delhi has directed the framing of charges against jailed Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Mohammad Yasin Malik and six others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a case concerning alleged foreign funding from Pakistan through hawala channels.
The court observed that, at the prima facie stage, sufficient material was available on record raising a strong suspicion against all the accused.
Charges were also ordered against separatist leaders Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, Naval Kishore Kapoor, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Masarat Alam and Abdul Rashid Sheikh.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) registered the money laundering case in 2017 on the basis of an FIR filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
According to the ED, the accused allegedly received funds from the Pakistani establishment through hawala channels and from other terrorist organisations. The agency alleged that the money was used to promote separatist ideology and subversive activities in Jammu and Kashmir.
The ED alleged that funds were routed through a network involving cash couriers and intermediaries who collected money from the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi and subsequently delivered it to Hurriyat leadership, including Yasin Malik.
The agency has alleged that the funds were intended to support subversive activities and the objective of separating Jammu and Kashmir from India.
According to the ED, its investigation found that scheduled offences generated alleged proceeds of crime amounting to ₹8,94,87,639.
The agency claimed that the proceeds were subsequently received, routed, transferred, concealed, possessed, acquired or used by the accused through various channels.
The court’s direction to frame charges comes at the stage of determining whether there is sufficient prima facie material to proceed against the accused.
