New Delhi, Dec 15: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is set to file its chargesheet in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack case before a Special NIA Court in Jammu on Monday, sources said. The move comes as the 180-day statutory deadline under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) since the first arrests nears expiry.
Two local residents of Pahalgam, Bashir Ahmad Jothar and Parvez Ahmad Jothar, were arrested on June 22, nearly two months after terrorists killed 25 tourists and a pony operator at Baisaran meadow. They are accused of harbouring and providing logistical support to three Pakistani terrorists—Suleiman Shah, Hamza Afghani alias Afghan, and Jibran—who carried out the attack.
Sources said the 180-day deadline for filing the chargesheet ends on December 18, and the agency is preparing to submit it within the stipulated period. Earlier, in October, the NIA had sought an additional 45 days beyond the initial 90-day investigation period, which was granted by a Jammu court.
The chargesheet is expected to name terror outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its proxy The Resistance Front (TRF). Union Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier confirmed the involvement of Pakistan-based LeT terrorists in Parliament.
During the investigation, the NIA reportedly recovered Pakistani contact numbers from the phones of the accused, which are seen as key to uncovering the wider conspiracy. Forensic examination of materials recovered from the killed terrorists has been conducted with assistance from the National Forensic Science University, Gandhinagar.
The agency has questioned over 1,000 individuals, including tourists, pony and mule owners, photographers, shopkeepers, and employees, as part of the probe. Further forensic reports, mobile phone data analysis, and verification of additional suspects are underway to establish the full scope of the terror network and the role of overground workers.
