Palwal Mosque Terror Funding: Fact-finding Report Ruptures NIA’s Claims

A fact-finding report by the Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) has raised serious questions over the alleged case of terror funding of Khulafa-e-Rashideen Masjid in Uttarwar village in Palwal. The report has ruptured the claims made by the NIA that “Rs 70 lakh was being sent to India in instalments by the Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) network.” As per the DMC, it has not found any evidence regarding the terror funding received for the construction of the mosque. The investigation was led by a four-member panel, led by the human rights activist and DMC advisor Ovais Sultan.

Talking to PTI, Sultan said, “The committee did not come across any evidence to state that the terror funding was received for the construction of the Khulafa-e-Rashideem mosque in Uttarwa in Palwal as was alleged by in media reports quoting anonymous NIA sources.” During the investigation which included talking to the local people from both the communities – Hindu and Muslim, DMC found out that locals themselves contributed, and raised funds for the building of the mosque.

As per the report, “The local Hindus and Muslims have together donated the total 10 acres of land for Masjid and Madarsa (8 acre), Government Hospital and Old-age Home (2 acre) from the Shamlaati property (collective land). It was also found out that “Khulafa-e-Rashideen Masjid’s name has been dragged because of the internal property dispute.”

Read more: Can the NIA Prove Anything in the J&K Terror Funding Case?

One of the prime accused in the case, Mohammad Salman, had reportedly sold his ancestral land in the village to donate for building the mosque. Sultan said, “[M]osque belongs to Tablighi Jamaat whereas, FIF belongs to Salafi school of thought, and the two do not agree with each other’s teachings and practices. So, there is no question of collaboration between them or funds being given to the mosque.”

The report also states NIA had seized all original receipts, registers and diaries along with a hard disk and pen drive from Mohammad Salman without giving any seizure notice.

Meanwhile, the report has stated that there are “procedural overlaps” in the case which is being probed by NIA, and the committee has written the same to the Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba.