J&K Police’s Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) on Tuesday initiated proclamation proceedings against three accused — including a US-based architect and a former president of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry — for their alleged involvement in a case related to anti-national and unlawful activities.
A Srinagar court had recently issued proclamation against Mubeen Ahmad Shah, a doctor-turned-businessman based in Malaysia who headed the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, US-based architect Azizul Hassan Ashai alias Tony Ashai and Germany-based vlogger Rifat Wani. Shah and Ashai are from Srinagar, while Wani is from Kupwara.
“It is hereby notified that if the absconding accused fail to appear before the Court within the stipulated time, their movable and immovable properties shall be attached strictly in accordance with law,” the proclamation order read.
The CIK said the proclamation proceedings were carried out in compliance with orders of the Special NIA Court in Srinagar. They were conducted in areas of Srinagar and Kupwara districts in connection with an FIR registered under Sections 153-A and 505 of the IPC and Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act at Police Station CIK.
The CIK said the case pertains to grave and serious offences threatening public order, communal harmony and national integrity.
“Investigation has conclusively revealed a well-orchestrated conspiracy hatched by unscrupulous anti-social and anti-national elements acting at the behest of secessionist forces operating from within and outside Kashmir,” CIK said.
“During the course of investigation, it has surfaced that the accused deliberately masqueraded as journalists, freelancers and news portals, while in reality running a covert digital warfare campaign. By abusing social media platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and WhatsApp, they systematically created and disseminated fake, motivated, exaggerated, secessionist and out-of-context content,” they added.
