ISI link returns to Kashmir: NIA court seizes property of US-based lobbyist Ghulam Nabi Fai

New Delhi: A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday ordered the attachment of immovable property belonging to Ghulam Nabi Fai, a US-based Kashmiri lobbyist and convicted ISI agent, in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir.

NIA Special Judge Yahaya Firdous authorised the seizure of over 1.5 kanals (around 8,100 square feet) of land spread across two villages — Wadwan and Chattabugh. The court directed the Budgam district collector to take possession of the land immediately with the assistance of revenue and police authorities.

The order was passed on an application filed by the prosecution under Section 83 of the Criminal Procedure Code, now Section 85 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, citing the need for urgent attachment to prevent alienation of the property.

Fai, originally a resident of Budgam, was declared a proclaimed absconder by the court in April this year after he failed to appear despite a 30-day notice. The case against him was registered by the NIA in 2020 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

According to the prosecution, Fai is a known supporter of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami and a close associate of designated terrorist Syed Salahuddin, the chief of Hizbul Mujahideen. He has been accused of providing support to terrorist organisations operating in India.

“This court is satisfied from the record that the accused has deliberately and intentionally concealed himself,” the judge noted in the seven-page order, accepting the prosecution’s argument that Fai’s relatives currently in possession of the land could sell it to frustrate legal proceedings.

The court specifically ordered attachment of one kanal and two marlas in Wadwan village and 11 marlas in Chattabugh village, directing revenue authorities to demarcate the land before formal seizure. The Senior Superintendent of Police, Budgam, has been instructed to provide security during the process.

Fai, 76, rose to prominence as the head of the Washington-based Kashmiri American Council (KAC), which US authorities later established was a front organisation for Pakistan’s ISI. In 2011, he was arrested by the FBI, and US prosecutors proved that he had funnelled at least USD 3.5 million from the ISI over two decades to influence American policy on Kashmir.

In 2012, a US federal court sentenced Fai to two years in prison for conspiracy and tax violations. US prosecutors also revealed that he falsely claimed to hold a doctorate degree to enhance his credibility while lobbying on behalf of Pakistan’s intelligence agency.