Pak-based LeT, Hizbul operatives with J&K men found selling narcotics in India

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) operatives based across the border in Pakistan were found to be a part of a deep-rooted conspiracy for procuring and selling narcotics drugs and generating funds in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of India in close association with seven residents of the newly created Union Territory (UT).

The deep-rooted conspiracy for procuring and selling narcotics drugs and generating funds in J-K and other parts of India was unearthed during the questioning of seven arrested accused in the Handwara narco-terrorism case.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) shared the inputs while filing a supplementary charge sheet against the seven arrested terrorists in Handwara narco-terrorism case which was initially registered in the Handwara police station on June 11 last year.

Investigation has established that the seven charge-sheeted accused were part of a deep-rooted conspiracy for procuring and selling narcotics drugs and generating funds in J&K and other parts of India in close association with operatives of banned terrorist outfits, Lashkar-E-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), based across the border in Pakistan,” the NIA said in a statement.

“The funds so generated were pumped for the furtherance of terrorist activity in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir through a network of overground workers ( OGWs).”

The information came during questioning of Showkat Salam Parray, Asif Gul, Altaf Ahmed Shah, Romesh Kumar, Mudasir Ahmed Dar, Amin Allai and Abdul Rashid– all residents of J&K. Presently, the arrested accused are in jail.

The anti-terror agency filed the charge sheet in NIA Special Court, Jammu. The arrested accused have been charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985; section 120B of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 17, 38 and 40 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

The Handwara narcotics case was registered after accused Abdul Momin Peer was intercepted by the Police Naka party while checking his car at Kairo Bridge, Handwara, when he was coming from Baramullah.

During the search of the vehicle, cash amounting to Rs 20.01 lakh and 2 kg of Heroin was recovered and seized.

Further, the interrogation of Abdul Momin Peer led to the recovery of 15 kg of Heroin and cash amounting to Rs 1.15 crores. NIA had re-registered the case on June 26 last year and taken over the investigation.

NIA had earlier filed charge sheet against six accused persons on December 5 last year in this case. (ANI)