NIA attaches 6 immovable properties of top JeM militant in Jammu & Kashmir

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday attached six immovable properties of a top militant of the banned terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed in Jammu and Kashmir.

The attached land parcels of arrested terrorist Asif Ahmed Malik are located in Mirpora and Pulwama, the NIA said in a statement. The properties were attached under Section 33 (1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, on the orders of the NIA Special Court, Jammu.

Malik was arrested on January 31, 2020, in a case related to transportation of terrorists, infiltration into Kashmir from across the border, and seizure of arms and explosives from terror operatives of JeM.

The NIA charge-sheeted him on July 27, 2020, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Explosive Substances Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933. Malik is currently undergoing trial.

NIA investigations have exposed a conspiracy by the accused to transport the infiltrated terrorists to the Kashmir Valley and provide them safe shelter in preparation for attacks on the security forces/apparatus as part of the terror conspiracy against India, the statement from the probe agency said.

Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) was formed by Maulana Masood Azhar in 2000 and is headquartered at Bahawalpur in Pakistan, the NIA said.

Since its foundation, JeM has carried out several terrorist attacks in India, including in Jammu and Kashmir. JeM was listed as a "Designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation" by the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSC) 1267, and Maulana Masood Azhar was designated a "Global Terrorist" by the UNSC in 2019.