NIA files chargesheet against six in Handwara narco-terrorism case

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], December 5 (ANI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday filed a chargesheet against six persons before a special NIA court in Jammu in the case related to the seizure of 21 kg of Heroin and Rs 1.35 crores cash in Handwara.
According to the NIA, the chargesheet was filed against Abdul Momin Peer (27), Syed Iftikhar Andrabi (50), Islam-ul-Haq Peer (20), Afaq Ahmad Wani (40), Saleem Andrabi (31) and Muneer Ahmad Banday (30), all residents of the Union Territory.
Notably, Andrabi and Banday are absconding while the other four accused persons have been arrested in the case, which was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
"The case arose out of a Handwara case dated June 11, 2020, wherein during checking of vehicles at Kairo Bridge, Handwara, accused Abdul Momin Peer's Creta vehicle was intercepted by the Police Naka Party. The vehicle was searched and a cash amount of Rs 20,01,000 and 2 kg Heroin were seized," the NIA said in a statement.
It said that Abdul Momin Peer was arrested and following his disclosure, accused Syed Iftikar Andrabi and Islam-Ul-Haq Peer were arrested. The case was re-registered by the NIA on June 23, 2020, and an investigation was taken up in the matter.
Accused Afaq Ahmad Wani, who was on run, was arrested by the anti-terror agency on July 16, 2020, on the basis of technical analysis.
"Investigation revealed that accused persons including Abdul Momin Peer and Saleem Andrabi were involved in cross-border smuggling and supply of Narcotic drug Heroin in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country after procuring the same from their associates based abroad including Pakistan," the statement said.
"Accused Iftikhar Andrabi and Abdul Momin Peer visited Pakistan several times during 2016-17 to meet the operatives of terrorist organisations Lashkar-E-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen. The amount generated from the sale of Heroin was pumped by the accused to further the LeT terrorist activities," it added. (ANI)