SIA Raids House of Jailed Cleric in Shopian

The State Investigation Agency (SIA) conducted a raid today at the residence of incarcerated cleric Sarjan Barkati in Shopian district. Assisted by local police and CRPF, the SIA operation targeted Barkati’s home in Reban village.

Barkati, also known as the “pied-piper of Kashmir” for his fervent separatist rhetoric against the government, was apprehended in August last year. The recent raid comes in the wake of his wife, Shabroza Bano’s arrest last November on allegations of involvement in a money laundering case linked to “terror financing.”

According to SIA officials, the case, FIR No 02/2023, under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code, implicates the Barkati family in orchestrating an extensive fundraising campaign through crowd funding, purportedly generating funds amounting to crores.

“During the investigation,” the SIA stated, “Shabroza Bano emerged as one of the conspirators, collaborating with her husband and Pakistan-based terror handlers in the terror funding case.”

Barkati’s affiliation with Ummat e Islami Jammu and Kashmir, led by Mirwaiz South Kashmir Qazi Yasir, has drawn attention. He previously served a four-year sentence in connection with his alleged role in the 2016 protests in South Kashmir. His family, during his incarceration, faced financial hardship, making appeals for his release.

Police allege that Barkati and his family managed to raise approximately Rs 1.74 crore through crowdfunding campaigns, which they claim were misused for undisclosed purposes, including financing secessionist and terrorist activities. The SIA further alleges Barkati’s involvement in inciting youth to attack security forces establishments, resulting in multiple FIRs registered against him across various police stations in the Valley.