CRPF convoy attack case: NIA files chargesheet against Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorist

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, Feb 13

The anti-terror probe agency NIA on Saturday said it had filed a supplementary chargesheet in a special court in Jammu against Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorist Naveed Mushtaq Shah alias Naveed Babu in a case relating to the attack on the CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir’s Banihal in March 2019.

The charges have been framed under various sections of Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), Explosive Substances Act, Jammu and Kashmir Public Property (Prevention of Damage) Act and Unlawful Activities (Pervention) Act- UAPA.

In the chargesheet it has been alleged that accused Naveed Babu, who is a former constable of Jammu and Kashmir Police, had deserted the force with arms and ammunition in 2017 when he was posted as a guard at FCI, Budgam, NIA officials said, adding that he later joined the terrorist group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and became an active terrorist.

“Investigation has established that accused Naveed was actively involved in the planning and execution of the attack on the CRPF convoy in Banihal along with other terrorists Riyaz Ahmed Naikoo, Rayees Ahmed Khan and Dr Saifullah Mir, who were subsequently killed in encounters with security forces.

“The deceased terrorists Sahil Abdullah Bhat, Adil Bashir Sheikh and Zubair Ahmed Wani were also actively involved in preparation of the explosives that went into the making of the IED,” said a senior NIA official

Charges have also been abated against the deceased terrorists involved in the conspiracy, the official added.

“The case relates to an attack on the CRPF convoy at Tethar, Banihal, in Ramban district of J&K by a terrorist who had exploded an explosive laden Santro car on March 30, 2019 with the intention of killing security personnel and waging war against the Government of India,” the NIA said in a statement.

In this regard, an FIR was registered at Police Station Banihal and the NIA re-registered the case on April 15, 2019 and took over the investigation of the case, it said, adding that the agency had earlier filed chargesheet against six Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists for their role in the attack.