Terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) outfits, based across the border in Pakistan, are generating funds through selling narcotics drugs to finance terror outfits active in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in its supplementary chargesheet, against the seven arrested terrorists in Handwara narco-terrorism case, exposed the nefarious designs of terror groups. This narco-terrorism case was initially registered in the Handwara police station on June 11, 2020, but later handed over to the NIA.
The deep-rooted conspiracy for procuring and selling narcotics drugs and generating funds in J-K and other parts of India was unearthed during the questioning of seven arrested accused in the Handwara narco-terrorism case.
"Investigation has established that the seven charge-sheeted accused were part of a deep-rooted conspiracy for procuring and selling narcotics drugs and generating funds in J&K and other parts of India in close association with operatives of banned terrorist outfits, Lashkar-E-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), based across the border in Pakistan," the NIA said in a statement.
The funds generated were pumped for the furtherance of terrorist activity in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir through a network of overground workers ( OGWs).
BSF ASI was part of narco-terrorism
Besides OGWs, the NIA has already arrested an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of the Border Security Force (BSF) from Jammu & Kashmir's Handwara for allegedly helping cross-border drug traffickers associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).
Romesh Kumar was arrested for allegedly helping terrorists. Kumar allegedly connived with drug traffickers linked to terror groups when he was posted in the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on deputation and investigated drug traffickers' networks in Baramulla and Handwara regions.
The anti-terror agency filed the charge sheet in NIA Special Court, Jammu. The arrested accused have been charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985; section 120B of Indian Penal Code (IPC), and sections 17, 38, and 40 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
The Handwara narcotics case was registered after accused Abdul Momin Peer was intercepted by the Police Naka party while checking his car at Kairo Bridge, Handwara, when he was coming from Baramullah. During the search of the vehicle, cash amounting to Rs 20 lakh and 2 kg of Heroin was recovered and seized.
Further, the interrogation of Abdul Momin Peer led to the recovery of 15 kg of Heroin and cash amounting to Rs 1.15 crores. NIA had re-registered the case on June 26 last year and taken over the investigation.
NIA had recovered Rs 91 lakh for Jammu village
In March this year, the National Investigation Agency had recovered a huge sum of amount, Rs. 91 lakhs in cash from a field in Gurwal village of Ramgarh sector of Samba district. Recovery has been made from the fields of accused BSF ASI Romesh Kumar who was arrested by NIA on March 1, 2021.
Earlier in September 2020, the NIA had raided the house of Romesh Kumar and recovered some important documents after his links emerged in the Handwara Narco-Terrorism case. Money was hidden deep in the field inside digs of depth ranging 3-6 feet, wrapped in plastic sheets. The teams reached here upon the investigation of Romesh Kumar and recovered that huge amount.
