NIA submits chargesheet against 13 Pakistani nationals in terror funding case

New Delhi, June 23 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday submitted charge sheet in Special Court Ahmedabad against 13 Pakistan nationals arrested in connection with smuggling of weapons and contraband drugs from across the border through Gujarat for funding terrorist activities in India.

In December 2022, the NIA had arrested 10 accused with a huge consignment of drugs and arms, hidden in gas cylinders, from a Pakistani fishing boat.

The seizure included 40 kgs of drugs (heroin), six Pistols (foreign made), six magazines and 9 mm 120 bullets, along with documents including Pakistani identity cards, mobile phones and Pakistani currency.

The accused were identified as Kadarbaksh Umetan Baloch, Amanullah Musa Baloch, Ismail Sabzal Baloch, Allahbaksh Hatar Baloch, Goharbaksh Dilmurad Baloch, Ammal Phullan Baloch, Gul Mohammad Hatar Baloch, Andam Ali BoherBaloch, Abdulgani Jungiyan Baloch and Abdulhakim Dilmurad Baloch.

However, three Pakistani, Hazi Salim, Akbar and Karim Baksh, mentioned in chargesheet are still at large.

In its chargehseet, the NIA had said that the consignment of sophisticated/imported weapons was being smuggled into India by the 10 arrested accused, in connivance with Hazi Salim, Akbar and Karim Baksh, for delivery to India-based absconding accused Harun.

Harun had hatched the conspiracy to illegally smuggle the consignment of weapons and contraband from Pakistan to India to provide funds to terrorist outfits and gangs operating in Punjab and North India.

The conspiracy was exposed after the ATS, Gujarat, received credible inputs that one Pakistan-based drug mafia man, namely Hazi Salim, was trying to smuggle the huge consignments of contraband drugs and illegal weapons through Okha shore from Pakistan," it said.

"The ATS was tipped off that the said consignment would be reaching the Indian waters on December 27- 28, near Okha Jetty (150 Nautical Miles west to Okha Jetty) through a fishing boat named "Al-Soheli". The Okha Coast Guard was informed by the ATS and, in a joint operation, the two agencies seized the boat," said a senior NIA official.

Considering the national security ramifications and the international linkages of the case, the Ministry of Home Affairs had transferred the case to NIA on March 6 this year.