NIA files charge sheet against six terrorists in Lashkar-e-Mustafa conspiracy case

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, Aug 4

The anti-terror federal probe agency NIA on Wednesday said it has filed a charge sheet against six terrorists in a Jammu special court in connection with the Lashkar-e-Mustafa (LeM) conspiracy case of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K).

Officials in the agency said, the charge sheet has been filed against Hidayat Ullah Malik, Baseerat-ul-Ain, Mudabir Manzoor (all three residents of Shopian district of J&K), Mohd. Teeli of Anantnag in J&K, Mustaq Alam and Jawed Alam (both residents of Bihar).

“Investigation has revealed that accused Hidayat-ullah Malik was the commander in chief of terrorist outfit Lashker-e-Mustafa and he along with his co-conspirators was planning terrorist acts in various parts India,” a senior NIA official said quoting the charge sheet.

The newly floated terror outfit, Lashkar-e-Mustafa, is an off-shoot of proscribed terror organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed, the official said, adding that the group was tactically formed so as to evade scrutiny forces and ease the international pressure on JeM after the attack on CRPF convoy at Lethpora, Pulwama on February 14, 2019.

The official said, the probe further revealed that the accused persons led by Hidayat-ullah Malik had also committed a daylight robbery of Rs 60 lakh from the main branch of J&K Bank in district Shopian in November 2020. “The looted money was used by terrorists of LeM for procuring weapons from Kashmir and Bihar. Hidayat-ullah Malik had also done reconnaissance of many security installations in Jammu and Delhi and was in constant touch with his handlers of JeM in Pakistan,” he added.

The case was initially registered by J&K Police in Jammu, which was later taken over by the NIA on March 2, 2021, as the investigation in the case continues, he said.

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