The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday raided the residential premises of absconding accused in the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) terror conspiracy case. The accused has been identified as Riaz Ahmed alias Hazari, a resident of Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir. NIA has announced a cash reward of Rs 3 lakh for leads on Riaz Ahmad.
The searches at his house led to the seizure of one mobile phone, which is being analysed, the NIA said. The case, registered initially by Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), Uttar Pradesh at Lucknow on September 12, 2018, was re-registered by NIA under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act on September 24, 2018. The case, registered against one Kamruk Zaman and others, related to a criminal conspiracy to carry out terror attacks by HM cadres at different places in UP and other parts of India.
Kamrun and one absconding accused, Osama Bin Javed, were chargesheeted in NIA Special Court, Lucknow on March 11, 2019 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. Subsequently, Osama was killed in an encounter with security forces on September 28, 2019.
Subsequently a supplementary chargesheet was filed on May 29, 2021 against arrested accused persons Nisar Ahmad Sheikh and Nishad Ahmad Butt, both residents of Jammu and Kashmir. A second supplementary chargesheet was filed against arrested accused Danish Naseer on November 25, 2022. “Investigations have revealed that accused Kamruj Zaman was radicalized by Osama Bin Javed to join the HM and both received nine months of physical and weapon-handling training by HM cadres.
Absconding accused Riaz Ahmad alias Hazari, an active militant and district Deputy Commander of the HM, along with another co-accused Mohammad Amin alias Jahangir Saroori, also an active militant and District Commander of HM, was involved in recruiting and training accused Kamruj Zaman and Osama Bin Javed in the forests of Kishtwar district of J&K,” the NIA said in a statement.
After completion of training, Kamruj was directed to set up bases and hideouts and select targets in UP, Assam, and other parts of India for terrorist activities. Accordingly, he had come to Kanpur where he had also carried out reconnaissance of a few targets, it added.