JKLF banned; Geelani booked under FEMA, fined Rs 14.40 L

TNN Bureau. Updated: 3/23/2019 11:30:46 AM Front Page

Crackdown on Separatists

JAMMU: The Yasin Malik-led Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) was banned on Friday for a series of violent acts and being in the forefront of separatist activities in the militancy-hit state since 1988, even as Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Geelani, who advocates Jammu and Kashmir's merger with Pakistan, has been booked under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) for illegally possessing foreign exchange of US $10,000 and fined Rs 14.40 lakh by the Enforcement Directorate.

Listing out its subversive and violent activities, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba said the JKLF spearheaded the separatist ideology in Kashmir Valley and the action was taken following the "zero tolerance" policy of the central government against terrorism.

"Murders of Kashmiri Pandits by JKLF in 1989 triggered their exodus from the valley. Malik was the mastermind behind the purging of Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir Valley and is responsible for their genocide.

"The JKLF has many serious cases registered against it. This organisation is responsible for murder of four Indian Air Force personnel and kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of the then Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in the V P Singh government," he told a press conference in New Delhi after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security took the decision to ban the separatist group.

Gauba said the central government has followed the policy of "zero tolerance" against terrorism and has acted strongly against terrorists and the securities forces have been given free hand to deal with terrorism.

"The central government, in its pursuit of strong action against terrorism, has today declared JKLF (Yasin faction) as an unlawful association under the provisions of Section 3(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967," he said.

Gauba said the central government is committed to relentlessly pursuing the policy of curbing the activities of secessionist organisations which are threat to the unity and integrity of the country and the NIA and the Enforcement Directorate are taking strong action against these organisations.

"The JKLF is also responsible for illegal funnelling of funds for fomenting terrorism. The JKLF is actively involved in raising of funds and its distribution to Hurriyat cadres and stone-pelters to fuel unrest in Kashmir Valley as well as for subversive activities.

"Activities of the JKLF pose a serious threat to the security of the country and are prejudicial to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of India. The organisation has been actively and continuously encouraging feelings of enmity and hatred against the lawfully established government as well as armed rebellion," he said.

Malik is at present lodged in Kot Balwal jail in Jammu, and is likely to face trial in the three-decade-old case of kidnapping of Rubaya Sayeed and gunning down of four IAF personnel in Srinagar.

The JKLF was founded by Pakistani national Amanullah Khan in mid-1970 at Birmingham in the United Kingdom and came into prominence in 1971 when its member hijacked an Indian Airlines plane flying from Srinagar to Jammu.

A total of 37 FIRs have been registered by the Jammu and Kashmir Police against JKLF and two cases, including that of murder of IAF personnel, were registered by the CBI.

The NIA has also registered a case against the JKLF, which is under investigation. It is evident from these that JKLF continues to be actively engaged in supporting and inciting secessionist and terrorist activities.
The organisation was also involved in the kidnapping and killing of Ravindra Mhatre, an Indian diplomat posted the UK, in 1984. A week later, India executed Maqbool Bhat, a JKLF activist, who had been sentenced to death.

This is the second organisation in Jammu and Kashmir which has been banned this month. Earlier, the Centre had banned the Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir.

Gauba said the review of security of Jammu and Kashmir-based separatists would continue. The government withdrew security of several separatist leaders in Jammu and Kashmir after a review recently.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti Friday said ban on JKLF was a "detrimental step" that will turn Kashmir into an open air prison.

"Detrimental steps like these will only turn Kashmir into an open air prison," Mehbooba said in a tweet.
Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate has levied a penalty of Rs 14.40 lakh on hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani in a 17-year-old case of illegal possession of USD 10,000 in alleged contravention of the foreign exchange law, officials said Friday.

The foreign currency, that equals to about Rs 6.90 lakh, has also been confiscated by the agency as part of an order issued under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) on March 20.

The foreign currency was seized during an Income Tax raid at Geelani's residence in Srinagar's Hyderpora area in 2002.

The case against Geelani, 89, has been adjudicated and penalty and confiscation order has been issued by the Special Director rank of the agency, who is entrusted to adjudicate the FEMA cases.

Geelani heads the hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference and is based in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar.

The ED took up the case after taking cognisance of the Income Tax report and had also issued summons to Geelani to appear before it in Srinagar.

Geelani's counsel had then submitted a written reply and "denied" the recovery of foreign currency from his residence and the subsequent seizure.

Under the FEMA, foreign exchange dealings are regulated in India and acquisition and possession of foreign exchange by resident Indians are required to be conducted in accordance with the general or special permission.

"Geelani did not have any such permission or bona fide explanation for acquisition and possession of the foreign currency.

"Therefore, he has been asked to show cause to the adjudicating officer under FEMA within 30 days as to why the recovered currency should not be confiscated and penalty imposed on him," the agency had said earlier.


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