Centre freezes 18 bank a/cs of terror recruiters

NEW DELHI: Sending a clear message to those misusing legal channels for routing terror funds and proceeds, the government has invoked the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) to freeze 18 bank accounts held by Indian Mujahideen’s terror recruiter from Pune, Mohsin Ismail Chowdhury, and Manipuri insurgent outfit Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) commander-in-chief (C-in-C) Ningthoujam Rajen Singh across Ratnakar Bank, ICICI Bank and SBI.

Union home minister P Chidambaram informed newspersons on Wednesday that 14 bank accounts of Chowdhary, a suspect in the 2008 blasts in Delhi and Bangalore who is currently on the run, with Ratnakar Bank’s Nana Peth branch in Pune had been frozen under Section 51 A of the UAPA in March. The money held in the said accounts totalled Rs 3.8 lakh, sources in the home ministry added.

Chowdhary, who hails from Pune, is also a suspect in the February 14 German Bakery blast in the city. He is said to have taken over Indian Mujahideen’s operations after the arrest of Safdar Nagori in February 2008 and the escape of Abdul Subhan.

Said to be close to Indian Mujahideen leader Riyaz Bhatkal, who is now holed up in Karachi, Chowdhary was instrumental in setting up several terror modules of Indian Mujahideen across India.

Also cracking down on insurgent outfits active in the northeast, the government during the month of March itself froze two bank accounts held by KYKL C-in-C and finance secretary Ningthoujam Rajen Singh in the ICICI Bank, Guwahati, and another couple of accounts held by Singh’s associate in SBI, Kurseong.

While nearly Rs 20-21 lakh were held by Singh in his two ICICI Bank accounts, his aide had Rs 39,000 deposited in two accounts in SBI, Kurseong.

Rajen Singh and three of his aides were picked up on March 14 from Siliguri in West Bengal. A satellite phone, mobile phones, laptops and two hard disks containing incriminating information were seized from their possession. Their custody was later handed over to Manipur police who brought them to Imphal and formally arrested them.