NIA arrests key accused in J-K narco-terror nexus case

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday arrested a key accused, who had been absconding since June 2020, in a narco-terror nexus case of Jammu and Kashmir linked with Pakistan-based terrorist outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen.

Syed Saleem Jahangir Andrabi alias Saleem Andrabi, a resident of Kupwara district, was carrying a reward for his arrest, the NIA said in a statement.

After his arrest, Andrabi was subsequently charge sheeted under various sections of NDPS Act, IPC and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, it said.

His arrest marks a major success in NIA’s efforts to destroy the narco-terror nexus and dismantle the ecosystem created in India by terrorist organisations based across the border, the statement said.

The NIA had taken over the investigation in the case on June 16, 2020 from the local police.

The agency had, during investigation, found that Andrabi was part of a deep-rooted conspiracy for procuring and selling narcotic drugs and generating funds in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of India.

The conspiracy was hatched by drug smugglers in close association with operatives of banned terrorist outfits, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen, based across the border in Pakistan.

Funds generated through the narcotics racket were pumped into Jammu and Kashmir by a network of overground workers (OGW) for promoting terrorist violence, the NIA’s investigations revealed.

The case was originally registered at Handwara police station following the arrest of one Abdul Momin Peer, after his Hyundai Creta vehicle was intercepted by police and Rs 20,01,000 cash and two kg of heroin were seized.

On questioning, Peer had led police to the recovery of another 15 kg of heroin and Rs 1.15 crore cash.

The NIA has so far charge sheeted a total of 15 accused, through various charge sheets filed between December 2020 and February 2023, in the case, in which investigations are continuing, the statement said.