NIA files chargesheet against 7 Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen militants in J-K’s Poonch conspiracy case

Mukesh Ranjan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 25

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday said it has filed a chargesheet against seven terrorists of Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM) before a special Jammu court in connection with the Poonch conspiracy case of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

The seven terrorists of TuM, who have been named in the chargesheet include Mohd Mustafa Khan, Mohd Yaseen, Mohd Farooq, Mohd Ibrar, Mohd Javid Khan, Sher Ali and Mohd Rafiq alias Sultan.

According to officials in the NIA all the accused have been charged under various sections of IPC, Arms Act, Explosive Substance Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention Act (UAPA).

The officials said: “In the chargesheet, the NIA has accused that the named persons were part of a deep-rooted criminal conspiracy by Pakistan-based handlers of TuM and their terror associates based in Poonch and Kuwait to execute terrorist activities and wage war against the Indian state.”

“Absconding accused Rafiq and other handlers based in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) with  assistance of Sher Ali based in Kuwait,  Mohd Mustafa , Mohd Yaseen, Mohd Farooq, Mohd Ibrar, Mohd Javid and others on the Indian side of LoC in Poonch district smuggled arms, ammunition, explosives, narcotics, etc, into the Indian territory,” the NIA said in the chargesheet.

It said, the accused persons were taking advantage of geography, affinities of religion, culture and other ties cutting across both sides of the LoC.

“During the course of investigation, a large cache of arms, ammunition, explosives, narcotics along with flag, posters and other incriminating material belonging to terror outfit TuM, which was hidden at different places in Poonch was recovered,” it said.

The officials said the case was initially registered by J&K Police in Police at Mendhar PS of Poonch District after the arrest of Mohd Mustafa Khan and recovery of 6 hand grenades along with other incriminating documents from his residence on December 27, 2020. Later on March 16, 2021 NIA re-registered the case and took over the investigation in it.