NIA Releases Money Seized From Srinagar Businessman In 2017

Srinagar, Feb 20: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has released the money it had seized from a businessman from Srinagar in 2017.

The money, Rs 14.13 lakhs, were seized from the businessman Imran Syed Kawoosa by the India’s premier investigation agency on 6 September 2017 as part of its investigations in the 2016 funding case and were released on the directions by Court of Special Judge, NIA Jammu.

The order was passed by the court on an application filed by Kawoosa through his counsels Mustahsun Mattu and Gagan Deep Sharma, contending that the money was his legal “business sale” and proven by all the GST bills and other documents.

The applicant, who is proprietor of Kawoosa and Sons said he had kept the cash in his home to liquidate the payments of the suppliers.

The NIA, in its reply, had said it no more required the cash for the investigation purpose and the same be released in Kawoosa’s favour.

“…the special public prosecutor, NIA, has stated in the open court (that) NIA has no objection if cash seized in the case is released in favour of its real owner on furnishing his undertaking and indemnity bond,” reads the Court order, copy of which lies with GNS.

“In view of the facts and circumstances of the case and also in view of the no objection stated by NIA for release of (the) amount, the present application is allowed to the limited extent of cash only and the same is ordered to be released in favour of applicant,” it added.

Complying with the Court orders, the NIA released the cash in Kawoosa’s favour at its Delhi headquarters.

It is the first material release in the 2016 funding case in which several arrests including that of businessmen have been made.

In September 2017, NIA had raided around 27 places in Kashmir, New Delhi and Gurugram (Haryana) in connection with the case and seized cash, documents and material from various persons and businessmen. (GNS)