| Pahalgam terror trail leads to Pakistan | | NIA Court frames charges against LeT/TRF handler, harbourers | | Early Times Report
Jammu, May 4: In a major legal development in the Pahalgam terror attack case, the Court of Special Judge under Section 11 NIA Act, Jammu, Prem Sagar has ordered framing of charges against a Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba/The Resistance Front handler and two alleged local harbourers, holding that sufficient prima facie material exists to put them on trial. The order was passed in NIA Vs Sajid Jatt & Ors, arising out of RC No. 02/2025/NIA/JMU, connected with the April 22, 2025 terror attack at Baisaran, Pahalgam, where terrorists opened fire on civilians and tourists in one of Kashmir’s most famous tourist meadows. The attack claimed 26 innocent lives and left around 20 others injured, triggering nationwide outrage and a massive counter-terror investigation.
As per the prosecution story, the Baisaran attack was not an isolated firing incident but part of a Pakistan-directed terror design, allegedly executed through armed infiltrators, encrypted communication, local shelter, route planning and logistical support. The NIA alleged that tourists were targeted after terrorists had been guided through the area with the help of digital coordinates and local assistance.
The court ordered charges against Al Saifullah Jatt alias Sajid Saifullah Jatt alias Sajid Jutt alias Langda alias Ali Sajid alias Noomi alias Usman Habib alias Numan alias Ali Bhai, described by the NIA as a Pakistan-based LeT/TRF commander and handler, besides accused Bashir Ahmad Jothad, son of Lal Din, resident of Khaiyar, Anantnag, and Parvaiz Ahmad, son of Ghulam Hassan, resident of Batkote, Pahalgam.
According to the NIA, the terror operation was planned, directed and coordinated from across the border, with the accused handler allegedly using encrypted communication channels to push coordinates, logistical instructions and route navigation to the terrorists. The prosecution claimed that the principal conspirator and handler, Al Saifullah Jatt, was widely known as “Langda” due to loss of one leg and use of a prosthetic limb.
The NIA further submitted that the same M-4 weapon used in the Gagangir attack of October 20, 2024 was also used in the Pahalgam attack, showing alleged operational continuity between the two attacks. The prosecution also alleged that another Pakistani LeT/TRF cadre, Suleman alias Faisal Jatt, had participated in both attacks.
At this stage of the proceedings, Senior Advocate Karanbir Singh Nalwa, Adv. Ms Kanchan, DLA NIA, Adv. Ashwani Verma, PP NIA, Adv. Ms Ashima Attri, and Adv. Chandan Kumar Singh, PP NIA, appeared in the matter, while Adv. Ashwani Kumar, Dy LADC, represented accused A5 and A6.
Giving details of the alleged incident trail, the prosecution stated that on April 21, 2025, accused Bashir Ahmad Jothad, a pony operator from Hill Park, allegedly saw three armed men near Hill Park. Their weapons were visible, their speech allegedly carried a Punjabi inflection, and they demanded a safe place and food “in the name of Allah.” The prosecution alleged that Bashir realised they were terrorists, yet instead of informing police or security forces, he led them to the seasonal hutment of his nephew, accused Parvaiz Ahmad.
According to the NIA, inside the hutment were Parvaiz Ahmad, his wife Tahira and their infant. The armed men allegedly asked that their bags and pouches be hidden under blankets. Food was prepared and served to them, and they remained in the hutment for several hours. During their stay, the terrorists allegedly spoke about Amarnath Yatra, nearby security camps, jihad and security-force movements, while repeatedly referring to their handler as “Ali Bhai.”
The prosecution alleged that before leaving the hutment, the terrorists were given packed food, including rice, leftover cooked tomato sabzi, spices and a utensil. A piece of tarpaulin was also allegedly handed over to them, while one of the terrorists allegedly gave Rs 3,000 to Parvaiz Ahmad. The NIA claimed that these facts showed that the accused were aware of the identity and intention of the armed men but still concealed their presence.
The next day, on April 22, 2025, the armed terrorists allegedly moved towards Baisaran, where the terror strike took place. What was supposed to be a peaceful tourist destination turned into a scene of death, panic and bloodshed, with 26 persons killed and several others wounded in the attack. The prosecution alleged that the attack bore the imprint of cross-border terror command, local concealment and carefully planned movement through forested tourist routes.
The prosecution further relied upon digital and forensic material, including mobile data, screenshots, geospatial waypoints, CDR analysis and DNA evidence. According to the order, mobile phones recovered from killed terrorists after Operation Mahadev allegedly contained route planning markers, map screenshots dated April 15 and April 16, and chats consistent with operational movement in South Kashmir.
The NIA also claimed that CFSI analysis showed similarity between a piece of tarpaulin recovered from Baisaran and a tarpaulin seized from Bashir’s hutment. It was further alleged that DNA found on pouches recovered during Operation Mahadev matched with DNA of Bashir Ahmad Jothad and Parvaiz Ahmad, thereby linking them to material recovered from the terrorists.
The court, after considering the material, observed that although Bashir Ahmad Jothad and Parvaiz Ahmad were not shown to have conspired in the actual execution of the attack, there was sufficient prima facie material to proceed against them for allegedly harbouring terrorists under Section 19 of UAPA and for omission to report under Section 239 BNS.
Against Al Saifullah Jatt, the court ordered framing of charges under Sections 103, 109, 147, 148, 149, 150 and 61(2) of BNS, Sections 7/27 of the Arms Act, and Sections 16, 17, 18, 20, 38, 39 and 40 of UAPA. The court noted that Jatt has been declared a proclaimed offender and directed that his charge memo be placed on file for trial in absentia under Section 356 BNSS.
The court further directed issuance of a non-bailable warrant against Al Saifullah Jatt through SSP Kulgam.
With this order, the Pahalgam terror case has entered a decisive trial stage, with the prosecution alleging that the Baisaran bloodbath was the result of a Pakistan-backed terror network, encrypted cross-border command and local harbouring that enabled armed terrorists to move, hide and strike in one of Kashmir’s most prominent tourist destinations. (JNF) |
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