Kathmandu: Former Nepalese Minister Salim Miya Ansari’s ‘entrepreneur’ son Yunus Ansari is a very well-protected prisoner in Lalitpur’s Nakkhu Jail. The prison is located nine kilometres away from the Tribhuvan International Airport here. Yunus Ansari is the chairman of the defunct National TV group. He is facing trial for running an organised crime syndicate involved in smuggling of high quality fake Indian currency notes (FICN).
Criminal activities
The crime syndicate led by Yunus partners with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s ‘D-company’ in the Himalayan Republic. In a recent development, Yunus is also suspected of smuggling arms for Kashmiri militants. Many believe his underground network is linked with Pakistan’s spy agency Inter Service Intelligence (ISI).
In a bid to restrict his underworld activities, Yunus was recently shifted from the Central prison here to Nakkhu Jail. He is lodged in Block C barrack, meant for dreaded terrorists and criminals.
Police statement
Central Police spokesperson, DIG Neeraj Bahadur Shahi confirmed that Yunus is under detention in the FICN case. “We (Nepal police) arrested Yunus and three others (Pakistani nationals) in this case. However, I can give you more details on the accused only after confirming facts with the Home Ministry,” said Shahi.
The DIG was a bit hesitant to elaborate on Yunus’s darker side. It is the one operating for India’s most wanted fugitive Dawood Ibrahim.
Reasons for shifting Yunus
Sources revealed to that Yunus was shifted to the remote jail following an intelligence enquiry against him related to his criminal activities. It has been alleged that he had dispatched a consignment of arms for J-K militant outfits. The arms have been sent through the porous Nepal-Bihar border. The consignment was smuggled in a truck. It was returning from a border check post near Raxual, after off-loading essential commodity items in Nepal. Sources said that despite a ban on meeting dreaded undertrials, Yunus receives several guests. They alleged that entire criminal operations are still being run by Ansari.
Sympathisers of militant groups
Yunus and his father Salim Miya have been open sympathisers for Kashmiri militants groups. Salim Miya had established the Nepal Muslim Ettihad Association (NMEA). It has 42 units spread over the Terai area districts, bordering UP and Bihar.
NMEA, in its various press statements, has openly expressed solidarity with Kashmiri separatist groups. After Salim Miya’s death in 2015, Yunus started travelling to Pakistan. He then came in direct contact with Kashmiri separatist groups and also with D-company.
Arrest operations
In May 2019, Nepalese police swooped down on four people at immigration desk of the airport. They had arrived from Qatar with five suitcases, loaded with FICN with the face value over Rs 7 crore. The operation was carried out on a specific tip off from Indian agencies. In the process Yunus and three Pakistani nationals – Muhammad Akhtar, Nadia Anwar and NasirUddin were arrested.
Sources here at Indian embassy had revealed that Akhtar, Anwar and Nasiruddin were ISI operatives. They also said the consignment of FICN smuggled by Yunus, originated from Karachi. The accused arrived in Kathmandu via Qatar only to camouflage their shady operation.
Other cases
Besides the 2019 case, Yunus has been booked in another case of FICN in 2014.
With an objective to cover up his underworld operations, Yunus at the behest of Dawood Ibrahim, had set up a media business. He launched a TV channel under the National Group led by him. Sources said that channel headquarters soon became a transit point for running narcotics and FICN rackets. However, since his arrest last year, the channel has shut its operations.
Agencies
