Pahalgam terror attack: NIA to file charge sheet in Jammu court today

Jammu, Dec 15:  The National Investigation Agency will likely file the charge sheet in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in the special NIA court in J&K’s Jammu city on Monday.

NIA sources said the investigation agency is filing the charge sheet in the designated court here as the 180-day statutory deadline under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), since the first arrests were made, is set to expire.

Two residents of the Pahalgam area, Bashir Ahmad Jothar and Parvez Ahmad Jothar, were arrested on June 22, nearly two months after terrorists killed 25 tourists and a local pony owner at Baisaran meadow.

“The two arrested persons are accused of harbouring and providing logistical support to three Pakistani terrorists, Suleiman Shah, Hamza Afghani alias Afghani and Jibran, who carried out the attack. The 180-day deadline for filing the charge sheet ends on December 18, and the agency is filing the charge sheet before the court within the stipulated period today,” NIA sources said.

NIA had sought an additional 45 days beyond the initial 90-day period to complete the investigation, which was granted by the court.

Terror outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its proxy, The Resistance Front (TRF), are likely to be named in the charge sheet.

The involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists affiliated with LeT in carrying out the attack was earlier confirmed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament.

“During the investigation, the NIA recovered Pakistani contact numbers from the phones of the arrested accused, which are considered crucial in uncovering the wider conspiracy. Forensic examination of materials recovered from the killed terrorists has also been carried out with assistance from the National Forensic Science University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat,” sources added.

NIA has so far questioned over 1,000 individuals, including tourists, pony owners, photographers, shopkeepers, and employees.

The NIA has informed the court that further forensic reports, mobile phone data analysis, and verification of additional suspects are underway to establish the full extent of the terror network and the role of overground workers, sources added.

The Pahalgam terror attack outraged the entire nation, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a free hand to the Armed Forces to avenge the killings.

Under Operation Sindoor, the Indian Armed Forces destroyed nine terror infrastructures deep inside Pakistan in Muridke near Lahore, Bahawalpur, Kotli and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

No military installation was attacked by the Indian forces till Pakistan escalated the situation by attacking civilian and military facilities.

In retaliatory action, 11 military bases were damaged by the Indian Armed Forces in Pakistan without crossing the border.

--IANS