Srinagar: State Investigation Agency (SIA) has arrested Shabroza Bano, wife of Sarjan Ahmad Wagay alias ‘Barkati’ of South Kashmir. She, along with her husband has been charged of being involved in militancy financing by raising money through crowdfunding.
In a statement to Kashmir Dot Com, the SIA said the case FIR No 02/2023 U/S 13,17,18,21,39,40 UA(P) Act, 120-B IPC of police station pertains to the involvement of Barkati family in orchestrating an extensive fund-raising campaign through crowd funding, resulting in the generation of funds amounting to crores.
“These funds were subsequently misused, involving money laundering and acquisition of undisclosed assets for propagation of radicalism within the Kashmir valley. While Sarjan Barkati was arrested in August this year, his wife Shabroza Bano was evading arrest after her role surfaced in the case,” SIA said.
During the investigation, the SIA said, “Shabroza Bano came out as one of the conspirators and was found hand in glove with her husband and Pak based militant handlers in the funding case. The investigation reveals that Shabroza Bano has remained in constant contact with Pakistani handlers through encrypted messaging platforms. Consequently, she was arrested today on 24.11.2023.”
The agency said, “Barkati and his family had managed to raise approximately Rs 1.74 crore through crowdfunding campaigns. These funds were raised for personal gains and a significant portion of the collected funds was allegedly misused for undisclosed purposes, including financing of secessionist and militant activities. A substantial portion of the acquired funds had been deposited in various Fixed Deposit Receipts (FDRs) under the names of Barkati’s family members.”
Barkati was a prominent figure in organising large-scale protests, rallies, and clashes with armed forces in 2016, the agency said.
“During that period he was instrumental in abetting youth to storm armed forces establishments for which more than 30 FIRs were registered against him in various police stations of the valley, they added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by FPK staff and is published from a syndicated feed from .)
