Suspected Hizbul militant who kept eye on Army held

Two men, allegedly belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen, have been arrested in Mumbai for circulating fake currency notes in the country and conducting a recce of important spots in Jammu and Kashmir, a Mumbai Police official said today.

Netting a big fish in their terror net, the Mumbai police recently caught suspected Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) operative Faroquee Ahmed Gulam Hasan Naiku, 37, a Baramulla native, from a guest house in the city.

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Joint commissioner of police (crime) Himanshu Roy said Naiku was tasked with infiltrating the Indian Army and had been trained in Pakistan and was associated with the HM since 2001. He has allegedly photographed several vital installations in (J&K) and passed photos to his Pakistani handlers. He has also been active in hawala transactions, dealing narcotics and fake currency circulation.

“He has revealed information on the Indian Army’s movement, position and formations to his handlers in Pakistan,” said Roy. Officials said he had made attempts to infiltrate the army in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Officials said Naiku was arrested on January 17 in a covert operation by the anti-narcotics cell from a Pydhonie guest house based on a tip off. On finding fake currency on him, they handed him over to the Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU) for further probe, which led them to his links with HM. Naiku was working as a dry-fruits vendor in Koparkhairane for the last year and a half, Roy said.

Crime branch officials said they had specifics of dates of Naiku’s meetings with HM commanders and officials from the Pakistani establishment.

Officials will now verify if the money he made through illegal operations was used to fund terror activities.

Police sources said that Naiku had entered Pakistan three times officially, through the Wagha border, and illegally crossed into Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) on several other occasions.

Officials said he would be booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).