NIA files chargesheet against seven terrorists

It says the accused were dealing in drugs to generate funds for terror activities

JAMMU: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed supplementary chargesheet against seven terrorists in Handwara narco-terrorism case before an NIA special court here on Friday, said officials.

The arrested terrorists were identified as Showkat Salam Parray, of Sumbal, Bandipora; Asif Gul, of Kanispora in Baramulla; Altaf Ahmed Shah, of Dangerpora in Ganderbal; Romesh Kumar, of Vijaypur in Samba; Mudasir Ahmed Dar, of Wanduna in Shopian; Amin Allai alias Hilal Mir, of Sangam in Anantnag; and Abdul Rashid, of Amrohi in Kupwara.

The arrested terrorists were booked under Sections 8 read with 21, 25 and 29 of the NDPS Act, 1985; Section 120-B of the IPC and Sections 17, 38 and 40 of the UA(P) Act, 1967.

The case was initially registered in Handwara police station as case FIR number 183/2020 dated June 11, 2020 wherein during checking of vehicles at Kairo Bridge, Handwara, accused Abdul Momin Peer was intercepted by a police party in his Hyundai Creta vehicle.

During search of the vehicle, cash amounting to Rs 20,01,000 and 2kg heroin was recovered. Further interrogation had led to recovery of 15kg heroin and cash amounting to Rs 1.15 crore. NIA had re-registered the case on June 26, 2020 and had taken over the investigation.

“Investigation has established that the seven chargesheeted accused persons were part of a deep-rooted conspiracy for procuring and selling drugs and generating funds in J&K and other parts of India in close association with operatives of banned terrorist outfits Lashkare-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), based across the border in Pakistan. The funds so generated were pumped for furtherance of terrorist activity in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir through a network of over ground workers (OGWs),” an NIA spokesman said.

NIA had earlier filed chargesheet against six accused on December 5, 2020 in the case. Further investigation in the case continues.