A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Budgam, on Tuesday (December 23, 2025) directed the attachment of property, including land, of Dr. Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai, 77, a Washington-based Kashmiri activist and chairman of the World Forum For Peace and Justice (WFPJ).
“This Court directs [the] District Collector Budgam to attach the immovable property of land measuring 01 Kanal and 02 Marlas under Khewat No. 60, Survey No. 466 Min in village Wadwan and land measuring 11 Marlas under Khewat No. 136 Survey No. 343 Min situated at village Chattabugh and take the possession forthwith,” a special NIA judge, Budgam, held.
The NIA court held that a direction was given to the accused, Mr. Fai, to appear before the investigation officer (IO) of FIR No. 46/2020 within a period of 30 days from the date of issuance of the proclamation in 2025.
“But the accused has chosen not to appear, as such, evaded the process which compelled the IO to move an application under Section 83 of Cr.P.C (85 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) for attachment of property,” the court noted.
The Court said it was satisfied from the record that the accused “despite being given an opportunity to appear before the IO has deliberately and intentionally concealed himself”.
The court directed the District Collector Budgam to “ensure that the help of Revenue Authorities is taken to identify and demarcate the property”. It also directed the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Budgam, to “provide necessary support while attaching the property”.
The NIA declared Dr. Fai, a resident of Budgam, a proclaimed offender in May, 2025 in a First Information Report (FIR) filed in 2020 at the Budgam Police Station Budgam under Sections 10, 13, and 39 of the UAPA. Mr. Fai was asked to surrender before the J&K Police within 30 days.
Mr. Fai, a known lobbyist, graduated from Aligarh Muslim University before shifting to the U.S. in 1977. Mr. Fai, who is a citizen of the U.S., later founded the Kashmiri American Council, accused of lobbying for resolution of the Kashmir issue along with separatist leaders. He remained active on backchannels, especially with the top leadership of Republicans and Democrats in the U.S., in the past.
