Gorakhpur terror funding kingpin Ramesh Shah arrested in Pune

Pune, June 21: The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) and Maharashtra ATS in a joint operation arrested a person identified as Ramesh Shah from Pune for running a terror funding network. Notably, the 28-year-old Ramesh Shah is a Gorakhpur terror funding mastermind.

 

While giving the information on Thursday, Inspector General of ATS Aseem Arun said that Gorakhpur terror funding mastermind Ramesh Shah has been arrested in a joint operation by the Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra Police.

Aseem Arun while talking to the reporters also stated that six people involved in criminal conspiracy and distributing money into various bank accounts on the instructions given by a Pakistani handler were arrested on March 24 from Gorakhpur. “Ramesh Shah was a kingpin of the gang,” he added.

On the instruction of Ramesh, the ATS official said more than Rs 1 crore were exchanged between the Pakistani handler and terror operatives, with major funds coming from the Middle East, Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala and distributed to various states.

The Inspector General also said that Shah used to keep in touch with Pakistan-based handlers on WhatsApp and internet calls. ATS also claimed that two ISI operatives Satwinder and Dadu, who were arrested from Jammu & Kashmir in 2016 were in touch with the same handlers of ISI as that of Balram, who was arrested by MP ATS in February 2017.

“Shah is being brought to Lucknow on transit remand and after his arrival, he would be produced in a Uttar Pradesh court and taken on remand for further interrogation,” Aseem Arun concluded.

Importantly, Shah hails from Bihar and also owns Satyam Shopping mart in Gorakhpur. He had gone to Pune to pursue a business deal.