SRINAGAR: On Saturday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took a significant step in its ongoing investigation by attaching the residential house of Aamir Mushtaq Ganaie, a key conspirator in an arms seizure case in Srinagar.
Accompanied by local police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the NIA cordoned off Ganaie’s residence in Khan Colony, located in the Chanapora area of Srinagar, and proceeded to attach the property. The action is part of the agency’s efforts to curb terrorism-related activities, particularly in connection with this case.
In an official statement, the NIA labelled Aamir Mushtaq Ganaie as one of the masterminds behind the arms seizure case, asserting that the attached property represents ‘proceeds of terrorism.’ The accused purportedly used these proceeds to orchestrate and execute terror crimes against the nation.
Ganaie, along with his associates, has been identified by the NIA as members of ‘The Resistance Front (TRF),’ an offshoot of the proscribed Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit. The agency revealed their association with Pakistan-based handlers or commanders of the LeT.
This particular case is linked to a broader conspiracy involving the drone-dropping of weapons and funds by a Pakistan-based module operating in Jammu and Kashmir. Faisal Muneer, identified as the kingpin in the case, had previously been arrested and charge-sheeted by the NIA.
Investigations revealed his involvement in receiving weapon consignments from across the border, which were then delivered to Ganaie in Srinagar. Ganaie, in turn, distributed these weapons to active cadres or terrorists associated with the TRF, facilitating targeted killings to instill fear.
Apart from arms and ammunition, the NIA investigators recovered various incriminating materials, including discussions about terror funds, from the mobile phones of the accused individuals. The agency established that Ganaie and his associates were not only involved in carrying out terrorist activities but also engaged in radicalising, motivating, and instigating vulnerable youth to join TRF, LeT, and other terror outfits in Kashmir.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, the NIA emphasised that the accused posed a long-standing threat to the security, integrity, and sovereignty of India. The agency took over the case initially registered by the Chanapora Police Station in May 2022 and re-registered it at the NIA’s Jammu branch office on June 18, 2022.
Looking ahead, the NIA expressed its commitment to intensify efforts in dismantling terror networks and demolishing their support infrastructure by attaching and seizing properties associated with these networks in the coming days.
