Muneeb Ahmad Sofi, a resident of the Bijbehara area in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, was arrested by a police team from Kulgam district, the police said on Twitter.
Sofi was a militant associate or overground worker (OGW) for Pakistani militant Waleed Bhai who was killed in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam last year.
“Today a police party from Kulgam has arrested a most wanted terrorist associate, namely Muneeb Ahmad Sofi…linked with proscribed terror outfit JeM from Indira Gandhi International Airport New Delhi after his deportation from Qatar,” a police spokesman said.
He said Sofi was involved in a case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act regarding collection of funds for the terror outfit JeM.
“During the course of the investigation of the said case, one terrorist associate was arrested who revealed that he along with other terrorist associates were collecting money from various districts in Kashmir valley for JeM,” he said.
The spokesman said the collected amount was then handed over to Sofi who was staying in Qatar and was in contact with Pakistan-based militant Waleed Bhai for purchasing arms and ammunition from Pakistan.
Waleed Bhai — also linked with JeM — was killed in an encounter in Kulgam last year.
“Accordingly, a lookout notice was published against Sofi and a non-bailable warrant…was obtained from the court concerned. Consequent upon the deportation of the said accused from Qatar to India, he was arrested at IGI Airport New Delhi,” the spokesman said.
He said further investigation in the case is in progress.
