A Delhi court on Friday officially ordered the commencement of a trial against several high-profile individuals, including Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik and Baramulla Member of Parliament Sheikh Abdul Rashid, widely known as Engineer Rashid. The judicial move follows an ongoing investigation into an alleged ₹8.94 crore terror-funding and money laundering case, which authorities claim is linked to illicit hawala channels operating from Pakistan.
Special Judge Prashant Sharma, presiding over the Rouse Avenue courts, issued the directive to formally frame charges against the accused. The court further ordered that the formal recording of evidence for the prosecution is scheduled to begin on November 19. This development marks a critical stage in the legal proceedings, transitioning the case from the investigative and pre-trial phases into the active trial phase.
The court's decision was informed by a previous ruling on September 9, where it determined that there was sufficient prima facie material on record. At that time, Judge Sharma observed that the evidence was robust enough to raise a “strong suspicion” regarding the involvement of the accused parties in generating, receiving, and laundering financial proceeds to support secessionist activities within Jammu and Kashmir. The court's September order paved the way for the charges to be formally laid out against the group.
During the recent in-camera hearing, the proceedings were managed with strict security protocols. Yasin Malik, who currently serves as the chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), appeared before the court via video conferencing from Tihar Jail. During the session, he entered a plea of “not guilty” to the charges brought under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and confirmed his intention to contest the accusations throughout the trial.
The scope of the investigation, spearheaded by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), centers on a total of ₹8.94 crore identified as proceeds of crime. According to the federal agency, this capital was systematically received, transferred, concealed, and utilized by the accused through various financial channels. The ED alleges that these funds were transported via cash couriers from the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi directly to members of the Hurriyat leadership, with the express purpose of promoting a secessionist agenda and fueling subversive activities in the region.
Beyond the primary figures of Malik and Rashid, the list of those facing trial includes Zahoor Ahmad Shah Watali, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Masarat Alam, and Naval Kishore Kapoor, along with the corporate entity Trison Farms and Constructions Pvt Ltd. The prosecution has built its case heavily on evidentiary material recovered from Ghulam Mohd Bhat, an accountant who reportedly worked as a cashier for Watali. Investigators contend that documentation seized from Bhat provides a clear trail of the illicit financial transactions.
As the case moves forward to the trial stage, the prosecution is expected to present its evidence to substantiate the claims of money laundering and support for illegal operations. The court's decision to proceed underscores the judiciary's assessment that the allegations hold sufficient weight to warrant a full examination of facts. The upcoming hearings, starting in mid-November, will determine the next steps for the accused as the legal process in this high-profile financial and security case continues to unfold.
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