NIA files charges against 2 LeT terrorists held near LoC

New Delhi, Feb 18 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday filed a charge-sheet against two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists, who were arrested near the Line of Control (LoC) in the Gulmarg Sector, Jammu and Kashmir, last year.

The agency filed the charge-sheet against Khalil Ahmad Kayani, 34, and Mohammad Nazeem, 23 -- both residents of Tedaban village in Khurshidabad tehsil under Haveli Farwad Kahuta district in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) -- before a special court in Jammu.

They have been charged under the Explosive Substances Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Arms Act and the Egress and Internal Movement (Control) Ordinance, 2005.

They were arrested from Nilkanth Nala, 700 meters on the Indian side of LOC, in the Baramulla district, the NIA said.

The army seized arms and ammunition, grenades, improvised explosive device (IED) material, Pakistan-made medicines and eatable from the forest area near LoC on August 21, 2019 at the two LeT accused's instance.

"Investigation has revealed that Kayani and Nazeem were in contact of their handler of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Pakistani army in PoK. Both were engaged in the task of concealing the arms & ammunitions, explosives in the forest area for Pakistani terrorists to carry out terrorist activities in India," the charge-sheet said.