E-Paper
Punjab: NIA chargesheets two in cross-border terror conspiracy case
The chargesheet, filed before the NIA special court in Mohali, names arrested accused Shubham Kumar and absconding accused Jasvir Chaudhary
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday chargesheeted two accused in a cross-border terror conspiracy involving the alleged smuggling of an IED, firearm and heroin from Pakistan for planned attacks in the country.
The chargesheet, filed before the NIA special court in Mohali, names arrested accused Shubham Kumar and absconding accused Jasvir Chaudhary. The agency invoked provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Explosive Substances Act, Arms Act, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and Railways Act.
The state special operations cell, Amritsar, initially registered the case in February after arresting Kumar. Police recovered a live IED packed in a metallic case, a remote-control device, a foreign-made .30-bore pistol, 20 cartridges, a mobile phone and heroin from him.
The NIA took over the probe in March and uncovered an alleged conspiracy involving a Pakistan-based handler and his associates in India to procure weapons, explosives and narcotics through cross-border channels.
According to investigators, Kumar had allegedly been tasked with planting a timer-activated IED on a passenger train to cause casualties. The wider conspiracy allegedly targeted multiple locations in Punjab and Delhi.
The NIA said it has gathered oral, documentary and digital evidence and that the investigation is continuing to identify other members of the alleged network.
