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

Srinagar, July 07: 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 Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).

An official statement issued by NIA said that Syed Saleem Jahangir Andrabi @ Saleem Andrabi, a resident of district Kupwara, J&K, had been on the run since June 2020 and had subsequently been chargesheeted under various sections of NDPS Act, IPC and UA(P) Act in the case RC-03/2020/NIA/JMU. 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.

NIA had taken over the investigation in the case on 26th June 2020 from the local police. It had, during investigation, found that Saleem Andarbi 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 statement said.

It also said the conspiracy was hatched by drug smugglers in close association with operatives of banned terrorist outfits, LeT and HM, based across the border in Pakistan. Funds generated through the narcotics racket were pumped into J&K through a network of over ground workers (OGWS) for promoting terrorist violence, NIA’s investigations revealed.

The case was originally registered at the 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 2 Kgs of Heroin were seized. On questioning, Abdul Momin Peer had led the police to the recovery of another 15 kgs of Heroin and Rs 1.15 Crores cash, the statement added.

NIA has so far chargesheeted a total of 15 accused, through various chargesheets filed between December 2020 and February 2023, in the case, in which investigations are continuing, it further added.