Jammu, July 14: A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court has issued a non-bailable warrant against Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed in connection with the investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack.
The warrant was issued by the Special NIA Court on July 8, two days after the NIA submitted a supplementary chargesheet naming Saeed as an accused in the case. The agency had informed the court that Saeed, who is currently absconding and residing in Pakistan’s Punjab province, has been deliberately avoiding arrest.
In its submission, the NIA sought an open-dated non-bailable warrant, stating that Saeed’s arrest and custodial interrogation are essential for carrying out a fair, comprehensive and effective investigation. Accepting the request, the court directed that the warrant be forwarded to the Deputy Inspector General (DIG), NIA Jammu, for execution in accordance with the law.
The supplementary chargesheet accuses the 76-year-old terror leader both in his individual capacity and as the chief of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its proxy outfit, The Resistance Front (TRF). He has been charged under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, as well as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967.
Hafiz Saeed has been designated a global terrorist by India and the United States and is widely regarded as the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
The case relates to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, south Kashmir, in which 26 people, most of them tourists, were killed after terrorists opened fire on civilians. The investigation into the attack is being carried out by the NIA.
