NIA court issues fresh arrest warrant against LeT chief Hafiz Saeed
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Jammu: An NIA court in Jammu and Kashmir’s Jammu city has issued a fresh Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed for allegedly supplying weapons, funds and directions to terrorists in Kashmir. This is the second such warrant issued against him in two months.
The special judge of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Jammu issued the warrant after hearing the prosecution’s arguments.
“Perusal of records reveals that the involvement of the accused person has surfaced during the investigation and he is allegedly involved in terrorism,” the court said.
The court noted that Saeed was at large and that the investigating agency had been unable to secure his attendance through ordinary means.
“Keeping in view the fact that the accused person is at large and the Investigating Agency has not been able to procure his attendance in the ordinary manner, this motion is allowed,” it said.
The court accordingly issued a general non-bailable warrant of arrest against Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, also known by several aliases, including Hafiz Muhammad Sahib, Hafiz Mohd Sayid, Hafiz Mohd, Hafiz Saeed, Hafiz Mohd Saeed, Hafiz Mohd Sayeed, Mohd Sayed and Muhammad Sayeed.
The warrant identifies him as the son of Kamal Ud Din and a resident of Sargodha, Punjab, Pakistan, and has been forwarded to the Deputy Inspector General (DIG), NIA Jammu, for execution in accordance with the procedure prescribed under law.
The court order was passed on September 8. The application was subsequently disposed of and consigned to the records after due compilation.
Hafiz Saeed is the founder of Pakistan-based proscribed terror group LeT and one of India’s most-wanted global terrorists. He is currently facing intensified legal action by the NIA in connection with major cross-border conspiracies and high-profile attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.
While Indian agencies have sought his custody, Pakistan claims that the 76-year-old Saeed is serving a combination of lengthy prison sentences amounting to more than 30 years at Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore, following convictions by an anti-terrorism court for terror financing.
However, Indian intelligence maintains that elements within Pakistan’s establishment continue to shield him from absolute accountability.
Saeed remains a United Nations-listed global terrorist and carries a $10 million bounty placed on him by the US government.
With IANS inputs