Pahalgam attack case: NIA files chargesheet against Pak-based handler, 6 others

Jammu, Dec 15 (PTI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday filed a chargesheet against seven accused in April 22 Pahalgam terror attack case, including the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its proxy The Resistance Front (TRF) terrorist organisations besides a handler based in the neighbouring country.

The chargesheet, which details Pakistan’s conspiracy, roles of the accused, and supporting evidence in the case, has charged the banned LeT/TRF as a legal entity for its role in planning, facilitating, and executing the Pahalgam attack.

The attack, which involved religion-based targeted killings by the Pakistan-sponsored terrorists, left 25 tourists and a local pony operator dead.

  "Pakistani handler terrorist Sajid Jatt is also named as an accused in the 1,597-page chargesheet, filed before the NIA special court, Jammu," a statement issued by the anti-terror agency said.

NIA’s chargesheet further names the three Pakistani terrorists killed by the Army during the Operation Mahadev at Dachigam, Srinagar, on July 29, 99 days after the deadly terror attack.

The three have been identified as Faisal Jatt alias Suleman Shah, Habeeb Tahir alias Jibran, and Hamza Afghani.

  In its chargesheet, the NIA has also invoked the penal section against the accused for waging war against India.

  The agency, through a meticulous scientific probe spanning almost eight months, had traced the conspiracy in the case to Pakistan, which has been unabatedly sponsoring terrorism against India.

  The two accused persons -- Parvaiz Ahmad and Bashir Ahmad Jothar -- arrested by the NIA on June 22 for harbouring terrorists have also been chargesheeted.

During interrogation, the two men had disclosed the identities of the three armed terrorists involved in the attack, and had also confirmed that they were Pakistani nationals affiliated to proscribed LeT terror outfit. PTI AKV SKL AKV KVK KVK