NIA files supplementary chargesheet in Hizbul Mujahideen narco-terror case

The NIA on Tuesday filed a supplementary chargesheet against two alleged narco-terrorists in a case registered last year following the arrest of a Hizbul Mujahideen operative along with Rs 29 lakh from Punjab, a spokesperson of the investigating agency said.

Earlier, a chargesheet was filed in the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) narco-terror case on October 10 against 10 people, including the slain chief of the Kashmir-based terror group Riyaz Ahmad Naikoo.

The supplementary chargesheet was filed against narco terrorists Jaswant Singh alias 'Jassa' of Gurdaspur and Gursant Singh alias 'Gora' of Tarn Taran in the NIA special court in Mohali, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) spokesperson said.

The accused persons were involved in collection, distribution and selling of heroin smuggled from Pakistan as also in collection and channelisation of proceeds to further activities of the HM, he said.

"Gora was one of the important members of the terrorist gang and as a close associate of prime accused Iqbal Singh alias 'Shera', was responsible for safe movement of heroin and proceeds to various places/unknown persons," the spokesperson said.

The investigation has also brought to the fore that he has purchased many immoveable properties to be used as hideouts and luxury cars for transportation of drugs and proceeds, he said.

The earlier chargesheet was filed against Hilal Ahmed Shergojri of Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, Bikram Singh, Gagandeep Singh, Ranjit Singh and Maninder Singh (Amritsar), and Ranjit Singh and Jaswant Singh (Gurdaspur).

The spokesperson said all have been arrested except Iqbal Singh of Amritsar and Zafar Hussain Bhat, of Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag. While Iqbal Singh is absconding, Bhat is hiding in Pakistan, he said.

The spokesperson said a case was registered at the Sadar Police Station in Amritsar on April 25 last year following the arrest of Shergojri and recovery of Rs 29 lakhs from his possession by the Punjab Police.

The NIA took up the investigation of the case on May 8 last year.

During the course of investigation, it emerged that the accused, who had come to Amritsar to collect the money, was a member of proscribed terrorist organization Hizbul Mujahideen and a close associate of Naikoo.

"This led to busting of a major narco-terror module involved in smuggling and selling of heroin in India and channelising of drug-proceeds to Pakistan through Hawala and to the HM terrorists based in J&K at the behest of HM terrorists based in Pakistan," the spokesperson said, adding further investigation against the absconding is underway.