NIA gets custody of LeT operative held in J&K

A Delhi court on Tuesday granted the National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody of an alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative who was arrested by the army near the Line of Control (LoC) in Handwara area in Jammu and Kashmir last week.

A day after taking custody of the LeT operative, identified as Mohammed Amir Awan, the NIA on Tuesday produced him before District Judge Poonam Bamba in Delhi's Patiala House court that sent him to the anti-terror agency's custody for 10 days.

Awan was arrested by Indian Army personnel on November 24 from Handwara area of north Kashmir and later handed over to the NIA to file a case against him and start a probe.

The NIA registered a FIR on November 26 and then took Awan in its custody.

Awan hails from Bardiya town near the port city of Karachi in Pakistan, according to the NIA investigators. He was called by a particular code name after joining the LeT.

The terrorist had been asked by his Pakistan-based handlers to carry out attacks on various important installations in Jammu and Kashmir, the NIA added.

--IANS

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