NIA arrests key accused in J&K narco-terror nexus linked LeT, HM terror outfits

Srinagar, July 7: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday arrested a key absconding accused, carrying a reward for his arrest, in a narco-terror nexus case of Jammu & Kashmir, linked with Pakistan-based terrorist outfits, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and HizbulMujahideen.
An NIA spokesman said that Syed Saleem Jahangir Andrabi, also known as SaleemAndrabi, a resident of district Kupwara, J&K, had been on the run since June 2020 and had subsequently been chargesheeted under various sections of the NDPS Act, IPC, and UA(P) Act in case RC-03/2020/NIA/JMU. His arrest marks a major success in NIA’s efforts to dismantle the narco-terror nexus and the ecosystem created in India by terrorist organizations based across the border.
“NIA had taken over the investigation in the case on 26th June 2020 from the local police. During the investigation, it was found that SaleemAndrabi was part of a deep-rooted conspiracy for procuring and selling narcotic drugs and generating funds in J&K and other parts of India,” the spokesman said.
The spokesman added that the conspiracy was hatched by drug smugglers in close association with operatives of banned terrorist outfits, LeT and HizbulMujahideen, based across the border in Pakistan. Funds generated through the narcotics racket were funnelled into J&K through a network of overground workers (OGWs) to promote terrorist violence.
“The case was originally registered at the Handwara Police Station following the arrest of Abdul Momin Peer, after his Hyundai CRETA vehicle was intercepted by police and Rs 20,01,000 in cash and 2 kgs of heroin were seized. During questioning, Abdul Momin Peer led the police to the recovery of another 15 kgs of heroin and Rs 1.15 crores in cash,” he said.
The NIA has so far chargesheeted a total of 15 accused through various chargesheets filed between December 2020 and February 2023, and investigations are ongoing, the spokesman further added.