NIA chargesheets LeT ultra, five others over seizure of explosives

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 13

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), anti-terror federal probe agency, on Friday said it had filed a chargesheet against a top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operative and five others in connection with seizure of magnetic bombs and other explosive materials from a drone intercepted along the international border in Kathua district of Jammu region last year.

LeT operative Sheikh Sajjad Gul, who has been named in the NIA chargesheet, is a resident of Srinagar and has been absconding. He has been recently designated as an “individual terrorist” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) through a gazette notification.

Kathua case

• A drone was intercepted last year from which several rounds of Under Barrel Grenade Launcher and magnetic bombs were seized in Rajbagh area of Kathua.
• LeT’s Sheikh Sajjad Gul, declared terrorist recently, is said to be the key man behind pushing explosives and arms from Pakistan into J&K.

Security conference

• Officials of Army, police, intelligence agencies and administration, operating in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban, held a meeting at Dharmund military garrison in Ramban.
• Defence PRO Lt Col Devender Anand said discussion were held on security and sharing of intelligence inputs in the wake of Republic Day celebrations. oc

The NIA, in an official statement, mentioned that the chargesheet against Gul and five others was filed in a special court in Jammu on Thursday in the case pertaining to the interception and recovery of a drone along with several rounds of Under Barrel Grenade Launcher and magnetic bombs from Dhalli near the international border in Rajbagh area of Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir last year.

It said the case was initially registered on May 29, 2022, by the J&K Police. The case was later taken over by the NIA which re-registered the matter on July 30, 2022.

“Investigations revealed that on Gul’s directions, the accused used to receive the weapons dropped by drones and transport the same to militants in Kashmir for the commission of terror activities in J&K as part of a conspiracy to wage war against the government,” the NIA statement read.

Besides Gul, the others named in the chargesheet include Faisal Muneer of Jammu and Habib, Mian Sohail, Muni Mohd (deceased) and Rashid, all residents of Kathua, it said, adding that all of them had been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, UAPA, Arms Act and the Explosive Substances Act.

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#Kathua #National Investigation Agency NIA