Jammu Tawi, July 5: The State Investigation Agency (SIA) has filed a chargesheet against 11 accused persons in a cross-border narco-terror case.
The official spokesman here today said that a case has been registered at Police Station SIA Jammu and the FIR, initially lodged in the year 2022, pertains to a cross-border narco-terrorism and terror financing network involving Pakistan-based terrorist organisations and their networks operating in Jammu and Kashmir.
The investigation in the case uncovered a well-organised network of terrorist associates and couriers aiding terrorist outfit Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) by facilitating smuggling of narcotics and raising funds for HM, he said.
The spokesman added that this network, as per the investigations, has emerged as a major channel for terror financing in the region.
Several of these individuals involved have amassed significant wealth through drug proceeds, despite having negligible legitimate sources of income, he added.
The investigation revealed a systematic modus operandi wherein narcotics were smuggled from Pakistan into the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, he said, adding that the proceeds from the sale of these drugs were deposited in the account of one of the accused on the instructions of a Pakistan-based terrorist, Basharat Ahmad Bhat, a known Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorist operating from Pakistan.
“Accused individuals were allegedly key drug dealers responsible for distributing narcotics among local youth. Some reportedly employed the other accused for selling narcotics to their clientele,” he said.
He stated that the investigation points to a larger conspiracy spearheaded by Pakistan-sponsored Hizb-ul-Mujahideen to destabilise the peaceful atmosphere of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir by facilitating terrorist activities. Further investigation is going on to identify and apprehend additional individuals involved in the network, adding, “This chargesheet reflects SIA’s firm commitment to dismantling terror-financing ecosystems and preserving peace and stability in Jammu and Kashmir.”
The chargesheet names the accused operating under a well organised terror network for raising funds through smuggling and selling of narcotics are Khalid Hussain, of Darhal, District Rajouri (currently residing at Rehmat Colony, Channi Himmat, Jammu), Harpreet Singh of Nanak Nagar, Jammu, Mohammad Shokit of Village Phambranar Gursai, Mendhar, Poonch, Javid Ahmed Rather of Thokarpura, Budgam, Manzoor Ahmad of Pamposh Colony, District Srinagar, Chain Singh of Bishnah, Jammu, Sahil Kumar of New Rehari, Jammu, Asif Rehman of Banapora, Batmaloo, Srinagar, Sandeepak Singh of Trikuta Nagar, Jammu, Basharat Ahmad Bhat of Khan Sahib, Budgam (Presently based in Rawalpindi, Pakistan; identified as a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorist) and Syed Mohammad Yusuf Shah alias Syed Salahudeen of District Budgam (Head of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen).
