Pahalgam terror attack case: Pak handler among 7 named in NIA's chargesheet; Lashkar-e-Taiba charged as legal entity for first time

NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday filed a chargesheet in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack case, naming Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)/The Resistance Front (former's front) among seven accused. Sources said the LeT/TRF role was established after the origin of the two messages put out by TRF on its digital media platform, first claiming responsibility shortly after the attack, and the denial thereafter, were traced to Pakistan.

The six other accused listed in the chargesheet, filed before the Special NIA court in Jammu, are top Lashkar mastermind and Pakistani handler Sajid Jatt; neutralised Pakistani attackers Faisal Jatt, alias Suleman Shah, who hailed from Pakistan Punjab, Habeeb Tahir, alias Jibran, from Rawlakote in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and Abu Hamza; and arrested Kashmiri locals Parvaiz Ahmad and Bashir Ahmad Jothad, who had harboured the three Pakistani attackers days before the attack.


The 1,597-page chargesheet records how NIA, through a meticulous probe spanning eight months, traced the Pahalgam attack conspiracy to Pakistan, "which has been unabatedly sponsoring terrorism against India".

The links to Pakistan were confirmed by belongings and articles - IDs, M4 assault weapons and chocolates - recovered from the hideout of the three attackers who were killed in Operation Mahadev in July.

This is perhaps the first time that LeT has been chargesheeted as a legal entity; earlier chargesheets filed in terror attacks launched by LeT, including the 26/11 Mumbai strikes, had named its top leaders, including chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed and Sajid Jatt.

There, however, are precedents of an 'unlawful association' like Popular Front of India (PFI) being chargesheeted by NIA.

"The chargesheet, which details Pakistan's conspiracy, roles of the accused and supporting evidence in the case, has charged the banned LeT/TRF as a legal entity for its role in planning, facilitating and executing the Pahalgam attack," NIA said.

Pahalgam mastermind listed as an individual 'terrorist' under UAPA
TOI had on July 29 reported that Sajid Jatt, who leads TRF/LeT operations in Kashmir, had masterminded the Pahalgam attack as part of a closely-guarded ISI-LeT conspiracy to carry out a high-impact attack in Kashmir. Jatt was specifically instructed by ISI to only deploy foreign terrorists for the gruesome targeted killings on religious lines, while ensuring minimal involvement of local Kashmiris.

Sajid Jatt, alias Saifullah, born on Sept 3, 1982, and hailing from Kasur, Pakistan, is listed as an individual 'terrorist' under the UAPA. He was the key handler of terrorists who killed five Indian soldiers in Bhata Dhurian, Poonch in 2023. LeT/TRF as well as the four Pakistani terrorists have been charged under provisions of BNS, Arms Act, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and for waging war against India. Parvaiz and Bashir had, following their arrest in June, disclosed identities of the attackers, confirming that the latter were Pakistani nationals affiliated to LeT. Sources had earlier told TOI that Parvaiz and Bashir were paid Rs 3,000 by the terrorists.