Terror Funding

Terror funding case: SC to hear Shabir Ahmed Shah's bail plea on Jan 7

The Supreme Court on Thursday said it would hear the bail plea of Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmed Shah in a terror funding case on January 7. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta passed the order after the counsel appearing for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) sought adjournment on the grounds that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta would argue on their behalf. The bench, while posting the matter for hearing on January 7, made clear that no further adjournment would be granted to the NIA. Shah has challenged the Delhi High Court's June 12 order denying him bail in the case. During the hearing on Thursday, the counsel appearing for the NIA said, "The SG (solicitor general) is leading us. He is in a part-heard in court 7. Please have it in January". Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, who also appeared for the agency, said the solicitor general would argue the matter. Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, who appeared for Shah, said the matter may be listed next ...

Khalistani groups receiving financial backing from within Canada: Report

A Canadian government report says Khalistani groups, including Babbar Khalsa International and ISYF, are receiving financial support through networks operating in Canada

Delhi HC seeks Yasin Malik's response on NIA appeal for death penalty

Yasin Malik, chief of the banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, is serving a life term after being convicted in May 2022 under sections of the UAPA and the IPC in a terror funding case

E-comm, online payment platforms being abused for terror financing: FATF

Global terror financing watchdog FATF on Tuesday cited the February 2019 Pulwama terror attack, which killed 40 CRPF personnel, and the 2022 Gorakhnath Temple incident to say that e-commerce platforms and online payment services are being misused for terror financing. In its 'Comprehensive Update on Terrorist Financing Risks', the FATF also flagged 'state sponsorship of terrorism' and said a variety of publicly available sources of information and delegations' inputs to this report indicate that "certain terrorist organisations have been and continue to receive financial and other forms of support from several national governments". "Delegations reported on this trend by referring to the use of state sponsorship for TF (terror financing) either as fundraising technique or as part of the financial management strategy of the certain organisations engaging in terrorist acts. Several forms of support have been reported, including direct financial support, logistical and material support,

Terror funding case: HC rejects bail plea of separatist leader Shabir Shah

The Delhi High Court on Thursday dismissed a plea by Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah seeking bail in a terror funding case. A bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur pronounced the verdict while rejecting Shah's appeal challenging a trial court's July 7, 2023 order refusing to grant him bail. "The present appeal is dismissed," the bench said. The detailed order is awaited. The high court in August 2023 sought response of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Shah's appeal. Shah's counsel has sought bail on behalf of the appellant on the grounds that "it was a no material case". In his 2023 appeal assailing the trial court order rejecting his bail application, the appellant said he has been in custody for four years and the trial would take a long time to conclude. "The impugned order of the additional sessions judge is contrary to law weight of evidence and probabilities of the case. The appellant has been languishing in jail in the present case for f

IMF funding to Pakistan akin to backing terror, says Rajnath Singh

Azad, Tharoor likely to be part of govt delegation to world capitals

'IMF should re-think funding to Pakistan': Rajnath says aid may fuel terror

Rajnath Singh, speaking at Gujarat's Bhuj airbase, alleged Pakistan may divert a major portion of IMF aid to terror activities, and urged the global lender to reconsider its funding

Court to decide Engineer Rashid's bail plea in UAPA case on March 21

A Delhi court would on March 21 pass its order on the bail plea of jailed J&K MP Engineer Rashid in a terror funding case. Additional sessions judge Chander Jit Singh, who was scheduled to pass order on Wednesday, deferred the pronouncement. The judge on September 10 granted interim bail to Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popular as Engineer Rashid, to enable him to campaign for the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The judge also previously extended Rashid's interim bail till October 28 on the ground of his father's health, after the NIA said it had verified the documents and on sole ground of health of accused's father it was not opposing the application. Rashid has been lodged in Tihar jail since 2019 after he was arrested by the National Investigation Agency under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in a 2017 terror funding case. Elections to the 90-member J&K Assembly were held in three phases from September 18 to October 1. The results were declared on October 8 in ...

HC reserves order on Rashid's plea for parole to attend Parliament

The Delhi High Court on Friday reserved its order on a plea by jailed MP Rashid Engineer, facing trial in a terror funding case, seeking custody parole to attend the ongoing Parliament session. Justice Vikas Mahajan heard the counsel appearing for the Baramulla MP as well as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and said, "Judgement reserved." The counsel appearing for the NIA opposed the grant of custody parole, saying Rashid had no vested right to attend Parliament. It was further said that he did show any "specific purpose" while seeking the relief and there were security concerns as well. Rashid's counsel emphasised that his constituency was not being represented in Parliament and he ought to be allowed to attend the session. "I represent the largest constituency of J&K. Don't prevent the representation when the process of inclusion has started... Don't stifle the voice of the constituency," the counsel argued. The court was hearing Rashid's petition alleging that he had ..

J&K jailed MP Rashid Engineer moves Delhi HC for bail in terror case

Jammu and Kashmir MP Rashid Engineer on Wednesday moved the Delhi High Court over bail in a terror-funding case. The matter would come up on January 23 before Justice Vikas Mahajan. In his plea, Rashid prayed for an expeditious ruling on the issue of his release on bail, which is currently pending before a trial court. He is also believed to have said the matter could be decided by the high court. "The bail application for Engineer Rashid has been filed and is listed for hearing in the Delhi High Court on January 23," Inam in Nabi, the chief spokesman of Awami Ittehad Party said on Wednesday. Nabi said the party would continue to make efforts to ensure justice for the jailed MP. "Engineer Rashid has always been a voice for the marginalised and a strong advocate for the democratic aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. His continued incarceration is deeply concerning and a disservice to the principles of democracy and justice," said the spokesman. On December 24 last year

Eurasian Group identified over 600 terror financiers this year, says chief

The Eurasian Group (EAG) has identified more than 600 people linked to international networks involved in terror financing this year, its top official said here. Identifying ways of financing international terrorists and their financiers has emerged as the biggest challenge at present and this issue was discussed at length during the 41st plenary meeting of the EAG comprising nine countries, EAG chairman Yuri Chikhanchin said on Friday. He was addressing a press conference after the conclusion of the five-day meet that began on November 25. Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, India, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are the nine member countries of the EAG. "This is the biggest challenge that we are facing - identifying channels of financing, financiers and sustainment of international terrorists because we all are international these days," Chikhanchin said. "This year itself, over 600 people have been identified in our region via the analysis of financial ...

FATF praises India's PMLA, terror financing; asks to improve prosecution

Global anti-money laundering and terror financing body FATF on Thursday launched its much-awaited mutual evaluation report on India, saying the county's systems were "effective" but "major improvements" were required to strengthen prosecution in these cases. The 368-page report was released after the assessment was adopted by the Paris-headquartered body at its June plenary meeting. The last such review of India's combating of money laundering and terror financing regime was published in 2010. The report, which comes after an on-site visit of FATF experts to India last November, has placed the country in the "regular follow up" category, a distinction shared by only four other G20 countries. India will undergo its next evaluation in 2031. The report said India implemented such an anti-money laundering (AML) and combating financing of terror (CFT) system that was effective in many respects. It, however, said "major improvements" were required to strengthen the prosecution in money

Crime watchdog FATF to release mutual evaluation report of India on Sep 19

Global crime watchdog FATF will highlight the steps taken by India to counter terror financing and money laundering, and flag priority action areas in the 'mutual evaluation report' to be released on September 19, official sources said on Tuesday. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) had in June adopted the mutual evaluation report on India and placed the country in the "regular follow-up" category -- the highest rating given by the global watchdog and a distinction shared by only four other G20 countries. Countries rated under the 'regular follow-up category' are required to submit a follow-up report to the FATF once in three years on a voluntary basis. Out of 40 parameters looked into by the FATF, India received the highest rating in 37 parameters, official sources said. "Priority action points will be given by the FATF in the September 19 report," sources said, adding that on most of the parameters, India would be getting a positive rating in the report, while there would be f

Illegal online betting firms act as channels for money laundering: Report

Illegal online betting and gambling companies act as channels for money laundering and terrorist financing, said a report by Rashtriya Raksha Universty's The Security and Scientific Technical Research Association. IT Rules 2021 differentiates between permissible online real money gaming and illegal betting and gambling practices. Yet, the report suggested the need for a registration mechanism to whitelist legitimate online real money gaming platforms that operate in compliance with laws of India. "Illegal online gambling and betting applications expose Indian digital nagriks to several security risks like cybersecurity attacks and unsafe online environments. They have also emerged as a threat to India's national security because illegal online betting and gambling websites act as channels for money laundering and terrorist financing," The Security and Scientific Technical Research Association (SASTRA) report said. It said that the current legal and regulatory framework doesn't ...

Singapore gets tough on casinos in new measures to check terrorism funding

Casinos in Singapore will soon face tighter rules on conducting due diligence checks when receiving cash as part of updated measures to counter terrorism financing, the country's gambling regulatory body said on Monday. Due diligence checks will have to be carried out when casinos receive a cash deposit of SGD 4,000 (USD 2,950) or more into a customer's account - down from the current threshold of SGD 5,000. The new threshold for due diligence checks was among the measures laid out in Singapore's updated National Strategy for Countering the Financing of Terrorism, jointly published on Monday by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). "The adjustment is made so that Singapore casinos can better combat money laundering and terrorism financing and align our requirements with FATF standards," the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) said. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is a global money laundering and ...

NIA agrees to let Engineer Rashid take oath as MP, court order on July 2

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday gave its consent for jailed Kashmiri leader Sheikh Abdul Rashid, known as Engineer Rashid, to take oath as MP on July 25. Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh will pass an order on the plea on Tuesday. Rashid, the MP from Baramulla who has been arrested in a 2017 Jammu and Kashmir terror funding case, had moved the court seeking interim bail, or custody parole in the alternative, to take oath and perform his parliamentary functions. A special court here on June 22 had adjourned the matter and asked the NIA to file its response. On Monday, the NIA's counsel said Rashid's oath taking be subject to some conditions like not speaking to the media. He also said Rashid must complete everything within a day. Rashid has been in jail since 2019 after he was charged by the NIA under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for his alleged involvement in a terror funding case. He is currently lodged in Tihar jail.

'Holds & blocks' in UNSC Sanctions Committees are disguised vetoes: Kamboj

In a veiled jibe at China, India has said that the "holds" placed on proposals in the UNSC sanctions committees are disguised vetoes on matters such as listing Pakistan-based global terrorists where some Council members will not take any responsibility. The working methods of anybody must respond to the challenges confronted by it. And the United Nations Security Council's record in measuring up to the mounting challenges has been abysmal, to say the least, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj said on Tuesday. Speaking in the UN General Assembly on the Second Anniversary of the unanimous adoption by UNGA of the Veto Initiative'- Strengthening of the UN System, Kamboj said that the Security Council has used its working methods to hide vetoes and disguise them under the ad hoc working methods of its committees which act on its behalf but have little accountability. Those of us familiar with the work of the Sanction Committees and its tradition of puttin

India, US to improve cooperation against money laundering, terror financing

The joint statement stated that the India-US AML/CFT Dialogue is an effective forum for both countries to share perspectives and best practises on how to strengthen the collective efforts

Assets of those named by UNSC for terror funding to be frozen within 24 hrs

Financial sanctions against entities named by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for their links to terrorism and terror financing should be imposed "without delay" and within 24 hours under the UAPA and a law against use of weapons of mass destruction, the government has directed regulatory and probe agencies. The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the federal agency tasked to detect money laundering and black money in the country's economic channels, has been made the nodal agency for identifying, notifying and initiating legal action against such entities under section 12A of The Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005, also known as the WMD Act. India, as per official records, enacted the law as per its commitment to the country specific efforts under UNSC resolution 1718 (2006) and 2231 (2015), and their successor resolutions, as mandated under section 2 of United Nations (Security Council) Act, 1947. The ...

SIA raids multiple locations in J-K, Delhi in terror funding case

The Jammu and Kashmir Police's Special Investigation Agency (SIA) on Wednesday raided multiple locations in the union territory and Delhi in connection with a terror funding case, the agency said. "Continuing with its endeavour to dismantle terror support systems in J&K, the SIA Kashmir conducted searches at houses and offices at 22 locations in J&K and Delhi," the investigating agency said. These locations include 18 in Srinagar, one each in Anantnag and Pulwama, and two in Delhi. "The pre-dawn searches were carried out simultaneously by special teams of the SIA. During the search operation, incriminating material in the shape of bank documents, cash books, credit cards, debit cards, cheque books, invoices, mobile phones, SIM cards and passports etc., was seized, which will be analysed for further investigation," the SIA said. The case pertains to illegal raising, layering and laundering of proceeds of crime by the accused persons. These proceeds of crime might subsequently ..