3 NIA personnel suspended over bribery allegations for shielding terror funding accused

NEW DELHI: Three NIA personnel, who were recently transferred out for allegedly demanding bribe to shield a businessman in a terror funding case, have been suspended based on findings of an internal probe by the agency. The probe report was submitted to the

home ministry

which approved the action against all three officers, including one of SP rank.

It was not clear if any further action is planned against the suspended officers.

NIA had transferred the three officers over a month back after a Delhi NCR-based businessman alleged they had demanded a bribe of Rs 2 crore for not naming him in a terror case relating to Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation. The Pakistan-based charity is run by

26/11 Mumbai attacks

mastermind Hafiz Mohammad Saeed.

An NIA spokesperson had then said that a complaint of misconduct was received (in this matter) by NIA. “An enquiry into the allegations is being conducted by a DIG-rank officer. In the meantime three concerned officials have been transferred out to ensure a fair probe,” he stated.

On Tuesday, the spokesperson confirmed that the three officers had been suspended.

The SP, who was absorbed in the NIA cadre, has been involved in investigation of key cases like Samjhauta and Ajmer Sharif blasts. Two others include an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) and a fingerprint expert who were repatriated last month to BSF and NCRB respectively.

The probe into the Falah-i-Insaniyat found that its chief Hafiz Saeed, along with deputy Shahid Mahmood, had hatched a conspiracy around 2012 to create sympathizers/sleeper cells and logistic base in Delhi and Haryana under the garb of religious work e.g. construction of mosque, madrasa education and financial assistance for marriage of poor Muslim girls etc. Shahid Mahmood tasked his associates namely Mohammad Kamran, a Pakistani national based at Dubai, for re-routing funds from Pakistan to Dubai and further to India through hawala channels. Shahid Mehmood further tasked Mohammad Kamran to identify such persons in India who could be given this fund in the garb of charity with the real aim being to create LeT bases and motivate sympathizers.

The accused in the case are Hafiz Saeed, Shahid Mahmood, Mohammad Salman, Mohammad Salim, Mohammad Kamran, Mohammad Hussain Molani and Mohammad Arif Ghulambashir. Ghulambashir, a native of Gujarat, was arrested in June this year upon arrival from Dubai, where he had been hiding to evade examination and arrest.

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