NIA files supplementary chargesheet against Hizbul militant in J&K conspiracy case

New Delhi, March 21 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed its first supplementary chargesheet against an overground worker of the proscribed terrorist organisation Hizb-ul-Mujahideen in the J&K terrorism conspiracy case.

The case pertains to the conspiracy hatched by the proscribed terrorist organisations such as the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), alongwith their frontal organisations such as the TRF, PAFF etc and their over ground workers operating in Jammu and Kashmir to undertake militant action in Kashmir valley and other major cities of India, including Delhi.

"Investigations in the case had earlier established the connections of the commanders of these proscribed organisations based in Pakistan with their operatives in Kashmir valley to recruit and train the youth in handling of arms and explosives. They had floated a lot of propaganda material in cyberspace to talent-spot and recruit these individuals who then function as sleeper cells and cause terrorist incidents, including targeted killings, acting in small groups or lone wolf actors. 26 persons have been earlier chargesheeted in the case, which include Pakistan based 'listed individual terrorists' Bashir Ahmed Peer alias Imtiyaz Alam and Imitiyaz Kundoo alias Fayaz Sopore. The NIA has also attached the property of Bashir Ahmed Peer on March 4, 2023 under Section 51A of the UA(P)Act," the NIA said.

During further investigations, the NIA identified and arrested accused Md. Rafi Najar a close associate of Designated Terrorist Imityaz Fayaz Sopore. He is a dealer in handicrafts and was based out of Pokhra, Nepal. He was found to be channelising funds for proscribed terrorist organisations in the garb of legitimate trade in Kashmiri handicrafts. The profits accrued from the sale of the handicrafts were then sent to Kashmir valley through hawala channels and distributed amongst the terrorists operating in the Valley through another chargesheeted over ground worker. The chargesheet was filed against Md. Rafi Najar on March 20 under various sections of the IPC and the UA(P) Act.