Authorities from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) are likely to file the charge sheet on Monday in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack case at a designated NIA court in Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir.
Authorities are taking this step as the 180-day statutory deadline under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) approaches its expiry.
Investigators arrested two local residents, Bashir Ahmad Jothar and Parvez Ahmad Jothar, on June 22. The arrests came nearly two months after the deadly attack at the Baisaran meadow.
That incident claimed the lives of 25 tourists along with a local pony owner, making it one of the most shocking terror strikes in the region in recent years.
“The two arrested persons are accused of harbouring and providing logistical support to three Pakistani terrorists, Suleiman Shah, Hamza Afghani alias Afghani and Jibran, who carried out the attack. The 180-day deadline for filing the charge sheet ends on December 18, and the agency is filing the charge sheet before the court within the stipulated period today,” NIA sources said.
Terror Networks and Evidence
Militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is expected to be named in the charge sheet. Its proxy group, The Resistance Front (TRF), is also likely to be included.
Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the matter in Parliament. He confirmed the involvement of Pakistan-based LeT operatives in planning and executing the attack.
“During the investigation, the NIA 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, Gujarat,” sources added.
So far, the NIA has questioned over 1,000 people, including tourists, pony owners, photographers, shopkeepers and local workers.
Meanwhile, the agency has informed the court that further forensic reports and mobile data analysis are ongoing. It also stated that the verification of additional suspects is underway. This process aims to determine the full scope of the terror network and the role of overground workers.
Nationwide anger followed the Pahalgam terror attack, prompting strong political and security responses. Subsequently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi granted operational freedom to the Armed Forces to respond to the killings.
Under Operation Sindoor, the Indian Armed Forces destroyed nine terror infrastructures deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The strikes included sites in Muridke, Bahawalpur, Kotli and Muzaffarabad.
Later, retaliatory strikes damaged 11 military bases in Pakistan after escalation, without Indian forces crossing the border.
The filing of the charge sheet marks a crucial milestone in the case. It represents an important step towards bringing the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack to justice.
Also Read: Supreme Court Flags Concerns Over UAPA Cases; Calls For Review Of Pending Trials
To read more such news, download Bharat Express news apps
