Hizbul terror conspiracy case: NIA raids premises of absconding accused in J&K

New Delhi, July 22

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday said it has conducted raids at the residential premises in Jammu and Kashmir, of an absconding accused in connection with its probe into the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) terror conspiracy case.

In an official statement, while identifying the accused as Riaz Ahmed alias Hazari, a resident of J&K’s Kishtwar district, the NIA said, it has announced a cash reward of Rs 3 Lakh for leads leading to his arrest.

“The searches conducted today at his house led to the seizure of one mobile phone, which is being analysed,” the NIA said.

The case, registered initially by Uttar Pradesh ATS on September 12, 2018, was later re-registered by NIA under UA (P) Act on September 24, 2018. The anti-terror federal probe agency said that a case was registered against one Kamruk Zaman and others, related to a criminal conspiracy to carry out terror attacks by HM cadres at different places in UP and other parts of India.

“Kamrun and one absconding accused, Osama Bin Javed, were charge-sheeted in NIA Special Court, Lucknow on March 11, 2019 under various sections of IPC and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.  Osama was killed in an encounter with security forces on September 28, 2019,” the agency said.

Subsequently, on May 29, 2021, a supplementary chargesheet was filed against arrested accused persons Nisar Ahmad Sheikh and Nishad Ahmad Butt, both residents of J&K, the agency said, adding that a second supplementary chargesheet was also filed against arrested accused Danish Naseer on November 25, 2022.

“Investigations have revealed that accused Kamruj Zaman was radicalised by Osama Bin Javed to join the HM and both received nine months of physical and weapon-handling training by HM cadres,” the NIA said.

Absconding accused Riaz Ahmad alias Hazari, an active militant and district deputy commander of the HM, along with another co-accused Mohammad Amin alias Jahangir Saroori, also an active militant and district commander of HM, was involved in recruiting and training accused Kamruj Zaman and Osama Bin Javed in the forests of Kishtwar district of J&K, the agency alleged.

“After completion of training, Kamruj was directed to set up bases and hideouts, and select targets in UP, Assam and other parts of India for terrorist activities. Accordingly, he had come to Kanpur where he had also carried out reconnaissance of a few targets,” it said.