Terror conspiracy case: Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist sent to police custody till Apr 4

A court here has sent an alleged Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist to police custody in a case in which Jammu and Kashmir Police officer Davinder Singh was arrested earlier.

Special Judge Gurvinder Pal Singh sent Syed Naveed Mushtaq to police custody till April 4 on Friday after the police said he and the other accused in the case were planning to execute terror attacks in Delhi and other parts of the country and targeted killings of protected persons.

Singh, a deputy superintendent of police arrested for allegedly ferrying two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, was suspended by the Jammu and Kashmir Police in January.

Seeking Mushtaq's custody, the police alleged that the accused was the Hizbul Mujahideen commander of Shopian district and his handler was based in Pakistan.

They said Mushtaq used to chat with the other accused in the case and militants on various internet platforms, including darknet chat.

"The accused, along with other Hizbul Mujahideen militants, was planning to execute terror attacks in Delhi and other parts of the country and targeted killings of protected persons," the police told the court.

They said the accused was required to be confronted with Singh and the other accused in the case to ascertain his role, trace the details of financial transactions, verify and trace other offenders, and establish the identity of the main handler.

The defence counsel, Prashant Prakash, opposed the application, saying the accused was falsely implicated in the case and was not required to be sent to police custody.

"In the fact of the matter and considering the submissions, accused Syed Naveed Mushtaq is remanded in police custody till April 4," the judge said.

The Special Cell of the Delhi Police had earlier brought Singh to Delhi from the Hira Nagar Jail in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Delhi Police had earlier filed an FIR under section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC. The FIR said youngsters from Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab were being trained for carrying out terrorist activities.

The FIR also mentioned "D Company" and Chhota Shakeel. According to the FIR, the Special Cell had received an input that the "D Company" was funding pro-Khalistan terror organisations in Punjab.

Singh was taken into custody pursuant to this FIR and the Special Cell had interrogated him as regards the Khalistan angle, police said.

Although Singh was not named in the FIR, he will be questioned on the basis of the inputs received by the Special Cell, they added.