Another Accused In Pulwama Terror Attack In NIA Custody

Bhat was produced before Special Court NIA, New Delhi against a production warrant which granted nine days' custody of the accused to the agency.

In one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir's three decades of militancy, a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) suicide attacker rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a CRPF bus in Pulwama district on February 14, killing 40 personnel and leaving many critically wounded. PTI Photo

New Delhi: Another youth who was allegedly involved in the February 14 Pulwma Attack has been arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The 25-year-old accused named Muzaffar Bhat was arrested from Kot Balwal jail in Jammu. He was in constant touch with the main accused of Pulwama attack Wasim Ahmad. An NIA statement said that it has taken into custody 25-year-old Muzaffar Ahmad Bhat, of Monghama village in Tral area of Pulwama, for being in touch with a Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) terrorist on phone to coordinate the attack. Bhat was produced before Special Court NIA, New Delhi against a production warrant which granted nine days' custody of the accused to the agency. "Investigation has disclosed that Muzzaffar Bhat @ Muzaffar Ahmad Bhat was in regular contact with the main accused Muddassir Ahmad (now dead) over WhatsApp during the relevant period," the agency said. The case, registered in March this year, pertains to a criminal conspiracy by top leadership of JeM, based in Pakistan, to strengthen bases of the outfit in India, by recruiting persons for carrying out terrorist acts, it said. Three other accused - Sajad Khan, Tanveer Ahmad and Bilal Mir - have already been arrested by the NIA in the case. (with inputs from agencies)