NIA names Hafiz Saeed in Pahalgam terror attack chargesheet
Synopsis
India's premier counter-terror agency has formally named Hafiz Saeed — founder of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba — in a supplementary chargesheet tied to the April 2025 Pahalgam massacre that killed 26. The move escalates India's legal effort to hold Pakistan-based terror leadership directly accountable through a domestic court, with charges including waging war against India.
Key Takeaways
The NIA filed a supplementary chargesheet on 7 July 2025 before the NIA Special Court, Jammu , naming Hafiz Saeed in the Pahalgam terror attack case.
Saeed is charged in his individual capacity and as chief of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its proxy The Resistance Front (TRF) .
Charges include provisions of the BNS 2023 , UAPA 1967 , waging war against India , and criminal conspiracy from across the border.
The 22 April 2025 Pahalgam attack killed 25 tourists and 1 local civilian in a religion-based targeted assault.
The supplementary chargesheet follows the original 1,597-page chargesheet filed on 15 December 2025 , which had named Sajid Jatt and others.
NIA says investigations into case RC-02/2025/NIA/JMU are continuing to establish the full scope of Pakistan's alleged role.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday, 7 July 2025, filed a supplementary chargesheet before the NIA Special Court in Jammu, naming Hafiz Saeed — Pakistan-based terrorist and founder-chief of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) — in connection with the Pahalgam terror attack of 22 April 2025. The move marks the first time Saeed has been formally charged in his individual capacity in this case, in addition to his role as head of LeT and its proxy outfit, The Resistance Front (TRF).
What the Chargesheet Says
The supplementary chargesheet has been filed as a continuation of the original 1,597-page chargesheet submitted earlier. It details Pakistan's alleged conspiracy, Saeed's specific role, and evidence gathered through scientific investigation and extensive ground verification, according to an official NIA statement.
Saeed has been charged under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The agency has also invoked charges related to waging war against India and criminal conspiracy allegedly hatched from across the border.
Background: The Pahalgam Attack
The 22 April 2025 attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir involved religion-based targeted killings carried out by Pakistan-backed terrorists. Twenty-five tourists and one local civilian were killed in the assault, making it one of the deadliest terror strikes in the Kashmir Valley in recent years.
The case was initially registered as FIR No. 25/2025 at Pahalgam Police Station in Anantnag district. Following a preliminary probe by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Ministry of Home Affairs transferred the investigation to the NIA.
Earlier Chargesheet and Key Accused
In its original chargesheet filed on 15 December 2025, the NIA had named Pakistani terror handler Sajid Jatt, three terrorists killed during Operation Mahadev in July 2025, and two arrested accused. The agency had also chargesheeted the banned LeT/TRF as a legal entity for its alleged role in planning, facilitating, and executing the attack.
Investigation Status and What Comes Next
The NIA stated that investigations in case RC-02/2025/NIA/JMU are continuing to unravel the larger conspiracy and Pakistan's alleged role in sponsoring terrorism on Indian soil. Legal proceedings before the NIA Special Court in Jammu are expected to advance as the supplementary chargesheet is formally taken on record. Notably, this case represents one of the most direct attempts by Indian investigative agencies to hold Pakistan-based terror leadership formally accountable through a domestic court process.
Point of View
But the legal and diplomatic ceiling is well understood — Saeed sits beyond India's jurisdictional reach in Pakistan, where he has historically operated with impunity despite international pressure. The real weight of this move lies in the evidentiary record it builds: a formal, court-filed documentation of Pakistan's alleged state-linked terror sponsorship that India can deploy in international forums, extradition arguments, and diplomatic pressure campaigns. What is less clear is whether the NIA's 'scientific investigation and extensive ground verification' has produced evidence strong enough to withstand scrutiny beyond India's borders. The Pahalgam attack's religion-based targeting of tourists was a deliberate escalation — and the pace and depth of this investigation will be watched as a signal of how seriously India intends to pursue accountability beyond optics.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Hafiz Saeed and why has the NIA named him?
Hafiz Saeed is the Pakistan-based founder-chief of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The NIA has named him in a supplementary chargesheet for allegedly masterminding the 22 April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, charging him under the BNS, UAPA, and for waging war against India.
What happened in the Pahalgam terror attack?
On 22 April 2025, Pakistan-backed terrorists carried out religion-based targeted killings in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, killing 25 tourists and one local civilian. It is among the deadliest terror strikes in the Kashmir Valley in recent years.
What does the NIA's supplementary chargesheet contain?
The supplementary chargesheet details Pakistan's alleged conspiracy, Hafiz Saeed's individual role, and evidence gathered through scientific investigation and ground verification. It is filed as a continuation of the original 1,597-page chargesheet submitted on 15 December 2025.
Who was named in the original NIA chargesheet?
The original chargesheet filed on 15 December 2025 named Pakistani terror handler Sajid Jatt, three terrorists killed during Operation Mahadev in July 2025, and two arrested accused. The banned LeT/TRF was also chargesheeted as a legal entity.
What happens next in the Pahalgam attack case?
The NIA has stated that investigations in case RC-02/2025/NIA/JMU are ongoing to unravel the larger conspiracy. Legal proceedings before the NIA Special Court in Jammu are expected to advance as the supplementary chargesheet is taken on record.
