A key accused in 2020 narco-terror case has been arrested in a joint operation by J&K police and National Investigation Agency (NIA) from Handwara in border district of Kupwara.

A police spokesman said police in Handwara in collaboration with the National Investigation Agency (NIA), successfully apprehended a proclaimed offender namely Muneer Ahmad Banday son of Gh Rasool Banday resident of Banday Mohalla Handwara who was carrying a cash reward of half a million.

The accused had been evading arrest since June 2020 and was involved in case FIR No. 03/2020 under section 8/21 NDPS 17, 18, 20 UAPA, 120-B, 121 IPC.

“He was involved in a multi-million drug smuggling case, which had significant implications for funding illegal activities. His arrest marks a major success for Police and other security agencies in the fight against organized crime and narco-terrorism,” the spokesman said.

The operation underscores the commitment of the J&K Police & NIA to bring offenders to justice and dismantle networks involved in such unlawful activities. Further investigation into the case is still

According to NIA, Muneer Banday, who had been evading arrest since the last four years, was a key part of the conspiracy aimed at generating funds to spread terror in J&K and other parts of India.

The funds were to be used for furtherance of terrorist activity in the UT of Jammu & Kashmir through a network of over ground workers (OGWs), NIA said.

It stated that the conspiracy, involving operatives of banned terrorist outfits like Lashkar-E-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) came to light in June 2020 when the Handwara (Kupwara) police registered a case following seizure of 2 kgs of heroin and Rs. 20 lakhs in cash during checking of vehicles at Kairo Bridge.

The vehicle of accused Abdul Momin Peer was intercepted while coming from Baramulla to Handwara, leading to the seizure. Further interrogation of Momin Peer resulted in the recovery of another 15 kgs of heroin and Rs. 1.15 crores in cash.

NIA, which took over the case and re-registered it in its Jammu branch on June 23, 2020 under various sections of IPC, NDPS Act and UA(P) Act, has filed a series of chargesheets so far against a total of 15 persons in the case.

It said the agency is continuing with its investigations to dismantle the narco-terror network and destroy the root of the terror funding in the country, particularly in Kashmir.