Hizb chief Salahuddin's son and JKLF terrorist Bitta Karate's wife among 4 J&K govt employees sacked for terror links

NEW DELHI: The Jammu and Kashmir government has dismissed the son of Hizbul Mujahideen chief and most-wanted terrorist Syed Salahuddin as well as the wife of JKLF leader and terror accused Bitta Karate, both employed in different departments of J&K government, over alleged terror links. Two other senior academicians working at Kashmir University were also shown the door, taking the total number of J&K government employees removed under Article 311 of the Constitution of India for allegedly carrying out or supporting terror activities, to 35.
Syed Abdul Mueed, who was working as an IT manager in Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI), is the third son of Salahuddin to be sacked over terror links, with the other two, Ahmad Shakeel and Shahid Yousuf, dismissed earlier under Article 311. Both are currently in jail and facing trial. A source said that the three dismissed sons of Salahuddin were found to have been “inducted in the government system in the 2000s in brazen violation of norms and after circumventing vetting process”.
Mueed was appointed in 2012 as an IT consultant on contractual basis, bypassing rules, claimed a source. The source added that at least three officers on the selection panel that cleared his appointment, were known terror sympathizers. Mueed’s contractual position was subsequently converted into a permanent one, but the mandatory CID verification was dispensed with. Between 2013 to 2019, at least 3 terror attacks were executed in and around JKEDI complex in Pampore in which some security personnel also lost their lives. J&K government sources alleged that Mueed had played a crucial role in these attacks by giving targets and logistics. He has also allegedly been indoctrinating young boys and girls attending JKEDI.
Assabah Arzoom Khan, wife of Bitta Karate, was a 2011 batch JKAS officer and “a diehard secessionist having deep ties with terrorist outfits and ISI,” said a J&K government officer. She came in the spotlight during Karate’s trial. Assabah first got a job in Sher e Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology, Kashmir in 2003. Her appointment was a backdoor one, said the source. Between 2003 and 2007 she was absent from work and was sacked in August 2007. Sources claimed that during her absence from work, Assabah travelled to Germany, UK, Helsinki, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Investigation has revealed that she was working as a cash mule for JKLF and while her departure to these countries was through airports, her arrival in India was mostly through road route via Nepal and Bangladesh. A source said the dirty money that Assabah was couriering to India was pumped into terror activities.
In 2011 Assabah cleared JKAS exam and is said to have married Bitta Karate within few months.
Two other government employees sacked on Saturday are academicians at Kashmir University. Earlier too, some Kashmiri University professors were dismissed under Article 311. Muheet Ahmad Bhat, a scientist in the department of computer sciences, was an executive member of Kashmir University Teachers Association from 2017 to 2019 and its president from 2017 to 2019. He purportedly played a key role in organizing student protests and street protests in 2016, in which hundreds had died and thousands injured. Muheet is said to have distributed KUTA funds to stone pelters and some families of terrorists. In January 2018, he allegedly provided financial assistance to families of LeT terrorists. He also arranged funds to pay the families of terrorists killed by security forces.
KUTA had carefully avoided its registration as society to avoid audit scanner, yet continued to use banking channels. Muheet is considered as a key man who radicalized students and carried out Pakistani propaganda in Kashmir.
Another Kashmir University Majid Husaain Qadri, who was working as assistant professor in department of management studies, was dismissed for being a “hardcore terrorist of LeT,” said a source. He was an MBA student in the same university in 2001. Sources said Majid came in contact with two Pakistani LeT terrorists in August 2001 and became LeT point-person for Kashmir University for radicalization and recruitment. In 2002 he was allegedly tasked to act as an arms courier for terrorists. In 2003 he was assigned the position of spokesperson of LeT and continued to hold it till his arrest in June 2004. A sniper rifle was also recovered from him. He was detained under PSA for two years and subsequently acquitted by the court. Sources said that between 2002 to 2004, till his arrest, Majid was also able to execute 4 terror attacks by providing logistics support to the terrorists.
Sources said he was acquitted due to failure on part of the investigation and prosecution authority. In March 2007 Majid was appointed as contractual lecturer in Kashmir University. His recruitment case was never sent to the CID for character verification.
Majid was appointed as assistant professor in Kashmir University in 2010.