Will the NIA Submit the Charge Sheet for the Pahalgam Terror Attack Today?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- The NIA is set to file a charge sheet regarding the Pahalgam terror attack.
- The statutory deadline for filing the charge sheet is December 18.
- Two locals were arrested for providing logistical support to terrorists.
- The investigation has involved over 1,000 interviews.
- The attack has prompted significant military responses from India.
Jammu, Dec 15 (NationPress) The National Investigation Agency is anticipated to submit the charge sheet regarding the Pahalgam terror attack that occurred on April 22, in the special NIA court located in Jammu, J&K today.
According to NIA sources, the agency is moving forward with the filing of the charge sheet in the designated court, as the 180-day statutory limit under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) is approaching its expiration since the initial arrests.
On June 22, two local residents, Bashir Ahmad Jothar and Parvez Ahmad Jothar, were taken into custody nearly two months after terrorists claimed the lives of 25 tourists and a local pony owner in the Baisaran meadow.
“The arrested individuals are accused of providing shelter and logistical support to three Pakistani terrorists: Suleiman Shah, Hamza Afghani alias Afghani, and Jibran, who executed the attack. The 180-day period for filing the charge sheet concludes on December 18, and the agency is ensuring to submit it before the court today,” revealed NIA sources.
The NIA had requested an additional 45 days on top of the initial 90-day period for completing the investigation, which the court approved.
It is expected that the charge sheet will implicate terrorist organizations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its affiliate, The Resistance Front (TRF).
Union Home Minister Amit Shah previously confirmed in Parliament the involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists linked to LeT in the attack.
“During the investigation, the NIA uncovered Pakistani contact numbers from the phones of the apprehended suspects, which are pivotal in revealing a broader conspiracy. Forensic evaluations of materials recovered from the deceased terrorists are also in progress, with assistance from the National Forensic Science University, located in Gandhinagar, Gujarat,” sources added.
The NIA has conducted interviews with over 1,000 individuals, which include tourists, pony owners, photographers, shopkeepers, and employees.
The NIA has informed the court that additional forensic analyses, mobile phone data evaluations, and the identification of more suspects are ongoing to fully unveil the extent of the terror network and the involvement of overground workers, sources stated.
The Pahalgam terror attack incited outrage across the nation, prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to grant the Armed Forces a free hand to respond to the attacks.
Under Operation Sindoor, the Indian Armed Forces successfully dismantled nine terror infrastructures deep within Pakistan, targeting locations such as Muridke near Lahore, Bahawalpur, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Indian forces refrained from attacking military installations until Pakistan heightened tensions by targeting civilian and military facilities.
In a retaliatory effort, 11 military bases in Pakistan sustained damage inflicted by the Indian Armed Forces without breaching the border.