UP ATS nabs 10 persons on terror-funding charges: top cop

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The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of the Uttar Pradesh police has arrested ten persons, who it claimed were linked with Lashker-e-Taiba and allegedly involved in terror-funding activities.

"Ten persons were arrested from Gorakhpur, Lucknow, Pratapgarh and Rivan (MP) yesterday by the ATS. These persons were involved in terror-funding on the directives from Pakistan," ATS IG Asim Arun told reporters here.

Commenting on the arrests, UP DGP OP Singh said no law breakers will be allowed to go scotfree.

"We will not spare any anti-social elements and criminals in our all out efforts to make the state crime-free," he told PTI.

Singh said the UP police will deal with the offenders strictly and not spare anyone guilty. "More arrests are likely in the case and we are probing links and transactions by these persons," the DGP said.

The arrested men were identified as Naseem Ahamad, Naeem Arshad, Sanjay Saroj, Niraj Mishra, Sahil Masih, Uma Pratap Singh, Mukesh Prasad, Nikhil Rai alias Musharraf Ansari, Ankur Rai and Dayanand Yadav, he said.

"A member of Lashker-e-Taiba used to remain in contact with them and ask them to open bank accounts in fake names and direct them as to how much money is to be transferred to which account. Indian agents used to get 10 to 20 per cent commission for this. Till now transactions of over Rs one crore have come to the fore," IG Arun said.

He claimed the arrested persons had links with the LeT and some of them even knew what was happening.

"Some them clearly knew what they were doing, while some considered it as a lottery fraud," the officer said, adding a detailed probe was on.

The role of the bank staff too would be probed, he said.

ATM cards, Rs 42 lakh cash, swap machines, magnetic card readers, three lap-tops, passbooks of different banks, a country-made pistol and cartridges were recovered from the possession of the accused, he said.