The National Investigation Agency (NIA) probing the Handwara narcotics-terror case arrested an alleged key accused of the case from Srinagar on Friday.
The J&K Police had on June 11 busted a huge narcotics-terror module and arrested three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) associates in Handwara town of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district. The police had also recovered 21 kg heroin and Rs 1.33 crore in Indian currency, total worth over Rs 200 crore, from the possession of those arrested. The case was handed over to the NIA on June 23 for further investigation.
A spokesperson of the NIA said that one Afaq Ahmad Wani of Maratgam, Handwara was arrested from Srinagar in connection with the case. The accused Wani, according to the probe agency, was working as Branch Manager at Baramulla Central Co-operative Bank, Handwara branch, and was absconding since June 11
“He was located and arrested from his hideout in Srinagar on July 16. Earlier, a cash amount of Rs 30,30,000 and heroin weighing 3.2 kg was seized from his house at Handwara,” he said and added the accused was produced before NIA Special Court at Jammu on Friday where he was remanded for custodial interrogation.
The NIA investigation so far has revealed that the accused persons were smuggling drugs and psychotropic substances in huge quantities through the Line of Control (LoC) and the proceeds of sale were used to finance the activities of LeT operating in the valley.
According to the investigation, the module was actively working for the LeT to strengthen their activities in the valley besides misguiding and motivating the local youth to join militancy.
In June, Inspector General Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said that the module was connected to a number of operatives in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), Handwara, Srinagar, Punjab, Delhi and Mumbai.
According to him, this network had lately received a drug consignment from PoK and arranged its transportation to Amritsar where it had been disposed of for Rs five crore, of which Rs 3.5 crore had been handed over to the LeT in the Valley.