NIA chief to quiz Pakistani militant Naved

Muhammad Naved Yakub, the alleged Pakistani militant captured alive by villagers following a deadly attack on a Border Security Force (BSF) convoy along Srinagar-Jammu highway last week, was on Tuesday remanded in National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody for 14 days by a court in Jammu.

Official sources said that the NIA chief Sharad Kumar will personally interrogate him and for this purpose he would be arriving in the winter capital from Delhi on Wednesday. While confirming it, Mr Kumar told PTI that the purpose of his visit is to ascertain the progress made in the investigation. “It’s a very important case for us and the entire probe is being done in a scientific manner,” the NIA chief, who will also visit the scene of the encounter in Udhampur district, said. He, however, refused to share any details of the probe so far.

Two BSF jawans had died and fifteen others were injured in the attack that took place at Samruli outside the garrison town of Udhampur on August 5. One of the two militants involved in the sneak attack was also killed in the security forces’ retaliatory fire.

Naved (22), who is a resident of Faisalabad (Pakistan), was on Monday evening taken to the winter capital from the Kashmir Valley under tight security. On Tuesday morning, he was produced before the NIA court. Arguing in favour of his custody, the NIA said that many areas needed to be investigated and for that the custody of the accused was necessary.

A team of the NIA which was created after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and acts as the Central counter-terrorism law enforcement agency had taken over the terror case on August 6. Headed by inspector general Sanjeev Kumar Singh, the team has already visited the site of encounter and examined the villagers who overpowered Naveed before handing him over to the police besides the BSF jawans and officials who were part of the convoy targeted by the militant duo. The NIA is empowered to deal with terror related crimes across the country without special permission from the states.

A case under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act, the Foreigners Act and various sections of Ranbir Penal Code (equivalent to Indian Penal Code) particularly Section 121 (waging war against the country) stands registered against Naved at the local police station. The J&K government has already given prosecution sanction against him for waging war against the country.

A formal prosecution order issued by District Magistrate of Udhampur, Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, last week said, “It has been established beyond reasonable doubt that an offence of criminal conspiracy has been committed by the terrorist which attracts the provisions of sections 121 and 121-A RPC”.

It added, “Sanction is hereby accorded as per the provisions of section 196 CrPC for prosecution in the court of law following due procedure established under law.”