NIA files chargesheet against ex-J&K cop who joined Hizbul ranks for attack on CRPF convoy

JAMMU: The NIA on Saturday filed a supplementary chargesheet against a former Jammu and Kashmir policeman, who deserted the force and joined the Pakistan-based terrorist group Hizbul Mujahideen, for his alleged involvement in attacking a CRPF convoy in 2019, an official said.

Naveed Mushtaq Shah, an ex-constable of Jammu and Kashmir police, had decamped with arms and ammunition in 2017 when he was posted as a guard at the Food Corporation of India (FCI), Budgam, an official of the premier investigation agency said.

After deserting the force, he joined the outlawed Pakistan-based and Kashmir-focused Hizbul-Mujahideen terror group and became an active terrorist, according to the NIA official.

The chargesheet was filed against Shah before a special NIA court in Jammu under sections of the Remote Procedure Call (RPC), the Explosive Substances Act, the Jammu and Kashmir Public Property (Prevention of Damage) Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA.

The case relates to the attack on the CRPF convoy at Tethar in Banihal area of Ramban district by a terrorist who had exploded a car laden with explosives on March 30, 2019 with the intention of killing security personnel and waging a war against the government of India.

A case was registered on March 30, 2019 in Ramban. The NIA re-registered the case on April 15, 2019 and took over the investigation.

The NIA had earlier filed a chargesheet against six Hizbul-Mujahideen terrorists for their role in the attack. The special NIA court has framed charges against the six accused.

Shah was actively involved in the planning and execution of the attack on the CRPF convoy in Banihal along with other terrorists Riyaz Ahmed Naikoo, Rayees Ahmed Khan and Dr Saifullah Mir, who were subsequently killed in encounters with security forces, according to the NIA official.

The deceased terrorists — Sahil Abdullah Bhat, Adil Bashir Sheikh and Zubair Ahmed Wani — were actively involved in preparation of the explosives that went into the making of the improvised explosive device (IED), the official said.

Charges have been abated against the deceased terrorists involved in the conspiracy, the NIA official said, adding that further trial in the case continues.