Money Sent Through Hawala Under Guise of Pashmina Shawl, Carpet Biz: Hizbul's A++ Category Terror Operative

Delhi’s Patiala House Court on Friday extended the police custody remand of Hizbul terror operative Javed Mattoo, an A++ category terrorist wanted in 11 attack cases, including five grenade attacks and killing of at least five police personnel in separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir.

He was produced before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Nabila Wali and the Special Cell sought extension of Mattoo’s seven-day remand. The court, after considering the application, extended the police custody by five days.

The remand application, accessed by CNN-News18, reveals that Mattoo disclosed during the interrogation that one of his associates in Hizbul Mujahideen, Mohd Rafi Najar, looks after the financial affairs of the terror outfit.

“He indulged in providing the money through hawala from Pakistan for terrorism purposes on the pretext of Pashima shawls and carpet business. The money received through hawala was used in financing the activities of the Hizbul Mujahideen in Jammu and Kashmir,” the remand note said.

The document also stated that the money received through hawala was used in financing the activities of Hizbul Mujahideen in Jammu and Kashmir.

During the course of hearing, Advocate Rahul Sahni opposed the remand extension and stated that nothing fruitful would be served by seeking such extensions.

However, the Delhi Police argued that associates of Mattoo, who indulged in channelising the funds through hawala from Pakistan to Jammu and Kashmir, need to be verified.

As per the investigation carried out by Delhi Police’s Special Cell, Mattoo had been hiding in neighbouring Nepal for several months. He returned to India on the instructions of his Pakistani handlers and on January 4 picked up a pistol with seven rounds and an extra magazine with five rounds from Mayur Vihar in Delhi.

Mattoo allegedly wanted to carry out terror strikes in J&K on the instructions of his handlers in Pakistan and with the assistance of his yet-to-be traced accomplices in Delhi.

A native of Sopore, Mattoo was outside Jammu and Kashmir for the past 10 years. “It is suspected that he was staying somewhere in Pakistan, but entered India via Nepal. He was looking for an opportunity to go to Pakistan,” a police source said.

A police official said that Mattoo was a prominent member of the group headed by Abdul Qayum Nazar, who was the operational in-charge of the terrorist module in Jammu and Kashmir.