NIA FILES CHARGE SHEET AGAINST 2 WITH HIZB LINKS IN TERROR CONSPIRACY CASE

NEW DELHI: The NIA chargesheeted two Hizbul Mujahideen overground workers (OGWs) on Saturday in a case related to a criminal conspiracy to carry out terror attacks at different places in Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the country.

The charge sheet against Nisar Ahmad Sheikh (52) and Nishad Ahmad Butt (42), residents of Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, was filed before the National Investigation Agency special court in Lucknow under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code, a spokesperson of the probe agency said.

A case was first registered in Lucknow on September 12, 2018, against Kamruj Zaman and others relating to a criminal conspiracy by Hizb-ul-Mujahideen cadres to carry out terror incidents at different places in the state and other parts of the country, the official said.

The NIA had re-registered the case on September 24, 2018, and taken over the investigation, according to the spokesperson. He said the NIA had earlier filed a charge sheet against arrested Zaman and absconding accused Osama Bin Javed on March 11, 2019. Javed was killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district on September 28 that year. Investigation has established that Javed was harboured and assisted by chargesheeted accused Sheikh and Butt, he said. Sheikh used to arrange safe transport for Javed and other terrorists of Hizbul Mujahideen, the official said.