New Delhi, Dec 15: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely to file its chargesheet in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack on Monday, as the 180-day statutory deadline under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) since the first arrests is set to expire, sources said.
They said that, chargesheet in RC-02/2025/NIA/JMU (Pahalgam Terror Attack Case) is to be filled before Special NIA Court, in Jammu today.
Two local residents of Pahalgam Bashir Ahmad Jothar and Parvez Ahmad Jothar were arrested on June 22, nearly two months after terrorists killed 25 tourists and a pony operator at Baisaran meadow.
The duo is accused of harbouring and providing logistical support to three Pakistani terrorists Suleiman Shah, Hamza Afghani alias Afghan, and Jibran who carried out the attack, official sources said.
Sources said the 180-day deadline for filing the chargesheet ends on December 18, and the agency is preparing to submit it before the court within the stipulated period and the chargesheet is going to be filled today.
Earlier, in October, the NIA had sought an additional 45 days beyond the initial 90-day period to complete the investigation, which was granted by a Jammu court.
According to sources, terror outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its proxy The Resistance Front (TRF) are likely to be named in the chargesheet. The involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists affiliated with LeT was earlier confirmed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament.
During the investigation, the NIA reportedly recovered Pakistani contact numbers from the phones of the arrested accused, which are considered crucial in uncovering the wider conspiracy. Forensic examination of materials recovered from the killed terrorists has also been carried out with assistance from the National Forensic Science University, Gandhinagar, sources said.
The agency has so far questioned over 1,000 individuals, including tourists, pony owners, mule owners, photographers, shopkeepers, and employees, as part of the probe.
The NIA has informed the court that further forensic reports, mobile phone data analysis, and verification of additional suspects are underway to establish the full extent of the terror network and the role of overground workers. (KNC)
