SIA files chargesheet in case of narco-terror in J&K, Punjab

TNN Bureau. Updated: 5/13/2022 12:52:53 PM Front Page

Jammu: The State Investigation Agency (SIA) on Thursday presented a chargesheet in a court here in a case related to the busting of a narco-terror network in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir operated by Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) from Pakistan after arresting two persons.
The SIA presented the chargesheet against two accused men Mohmmad Rafiq Khan of J-K and Gurpal Singh of Punjab before the court in Jammu in a case of a terror network being active in Punjab and J-K on the directions of LeT from Pakistan, a senior official of the agency said.
The investigation has revealed a well-knitted conspiracy by Pakistani agents of LeT to destabilise the governments in Punjab and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
As per the chargesheet, an FIR was registered on the information that one Mohmmad Rafiq Khan of Panjgrain (Ghambir Brahmana) of Rajouri was involved in illegal cross-LoC activities and was in contact with ISI agent Abdul Hameed Khan presently residing in Kotli PoK, and constantly sharing information relating to India's strategic assets in Rajouri and Poonch districts through encrypted social media applications and VoIP.
"Rafiq Khan on the instructions of his Pakistani handler Hameed Khan had deposited Rs 10,000 in the account of one Darshan Singh of Sangrur Punjab," the official said.
The account number of Darshan Singh was provided to Rafiq Khan by another Punjab resident Gurpal Singh. Gurpal Singh has a criminal background and had developed a friendly relationship with one Sajid Bukhari, who is a Pakistani national and was lodged in Sangrur Jail along with him, he said.
"Since Gurpal Singh was in need of money. So after his release and deportation, Sajid Bukhari cultivated Gurpal and introduced him to Hameed Khan and other Pakistani handlers," the officer said.
Rafiq Khan was desirous to join terrorist ranks in Pakistan and he even attempted to cross over to that country by legitimate means through Wagha Border but he was stopped by Indian immigration authorities. He was also planning to illegally cross over through the fence and he had shared a video of India's strategic LoC locations with Hameed Khan to gain his trust, the officer said.
Rafiq Khan transferred Rs 10,000 to Darshan Singh to facilitate his illegal crossing over to Pakistan through Kanga Gali, he said.
"Substantial digital evidence has emerged during investigation wherein Gurpal Singh and various other Pakistani handlers have been sharing anti-Indian and pro-Khalistani content," the officer said.
Hameed Khan's social media chat and audio clips recovered from the phone of Gurpal Singh reveal that he had tutored the latter regarding the sale of chitta (narcotics) in Punjab to earn maximum profit and to utilised the same money for radicalsation of youths and for meeting his (Gurpal's) personal expenses, he said.
The conversation specifically mentioned that chitta is available at the rate of Rs 14 lakh per kg if delivered in Rajouri and can be sold at the rate of Rs 60-70 lakh per kg in Punjab. Conversation regarding the arrangement of a pistol was also found from Gurpal Singh's mobile phone, the officer said.
Some of the content in the form of WhatsApp chat-voice notes retrieved from the mobile phone of Gurpal Singh was like this: Pakistan Zindabad and Khalistan Zindabad , asli maza to tab aaayega jab Khalistan banega, puri duniya ki sarkaarein hamare sath hai sivaaye ghatiya desh Hindustan aur Hindustan ki sarkar , the officer said.
Offences under sections 13, 17, 18, 39, of the UA(P)A and section 3 of the Official Secrets Act have been established against Rafiq Khan and Gurpal Singh whereas, sections 13,17,18, 20, 38 under UA(P)A have been established against PoK-based Hameed Khan, he said.
The investigation in respect of the other suspects is going on, the officer said.
These Pakistani handlers instigated Gurpal Singh for spreading separatist ideology and anti-national sentiments, for which the government of India has been approached for accord of sanction for filing Letters Rogatory through the court addressed to Pakistani Central Authority for investigation in Pakistan to establishing the identity of Pakistani elements inimical to India and their associates in India, he said.


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