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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday i.e. May 13, 2022, filed a charge sheet before the NIA court, New Delhi against seven accused persons, namely:

• Khuram Parvez under Section 120B & 121A of Indian Penal Code (IPC), Section 8 of Prevention of Corruption Act (PC Act. 1988) & Sections 13, 18, 18B, 38 & 39 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. [UA(P) Act, 1967]
• Muneer Ahmad Kataria under Section 120B & 201 of IPC, 1860, Sec. 8 of PC Act, Sec. 18, 18B, 38 & 39 of UA (P) Act, 1967 and sec. 3 of Official Secrets Act, 1923.[OS Act, 1923]
• Arshid Ahmad Tonch under Section 120B & 201 of IPC, 1860 and Sec. 18, 38 & 39 of UA (P) Act, 1967.
• Zafar Abbas under Section 120B, 109, 201 & 471 of IPC, 1860 and Sec. 18, 38 & 39 of UA (P) Act, 1967.
• Rambhawan under Section 120B read with 465 & 471 of IPC, 1860.
• Chandan Mahato under Section 120B read with 465 & 471 of IPC, 1860.
• Arvind Digvijay Negi under Section 120B & 201 of IPC, Sec. 5 of OS Act, 1923 and Sec. 7 (a) & 7(b) of PC Act.

The case pertains to a conspiracy hatched by Pakistan-based proscribed terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) to fund and recruit operatives/ Over-Ground Workers (OGWs) for providing support in the planning and execution of terrorist activities in various parts of India including Jammu & Kashmir. The NIA registered a suo-moto case on November 6, 2011.

A press release issued by the agency states, “These accused persons collected information regarding vital installations, deployment and movement of security forces, procured official secret documents and passed on the same to their LeT handlers through encrypted communication channel for monetary consideration.

Investigation revealed that Arvind Digvijay Negi being a public servant, abused his official position and unauthorisedly passed on official secret documents to co-accused for monetary consideration and also demanded illegal gratification through co-accused for compromising the investigation.

The investigation further revealed that LeT operatives based in Pakistan had hatched a conspiracy with Khuram Parvez, Muneer Ahmad Kataria, Arshid Ahmad Tonch, and Zafar Abbas to run a network of OGWs of LeT for furthering the activities of LeT and to commit terrorist acts in India.

Rambhawan Prasad and Chandan Mahato had forged identity documents and used the same for procuring SIM cards and opening bank accounts and passed them on to the co-accused persons for monetary benefits, states the press release.