Srinagar: A “most-wanted overground worker” of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit was arrested on Friday at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi after his deportation from Qatar, police said here.
Muneeb Ahmad Sofi, a resident of the Bijbehara area in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, was arrested by a police team from Kulgam district, the police said on Twitter.
Sofi was a “militant associate or overground worker (OGW) for Pakistani militant Waleed Bhai who was killed in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam last year,” police said.
“Today a police party from Kulgam has arrested a most wanted terrorist associate, namely Muneeb Ahmad Sofi…linked with proscribed terror outfit JeM from Indira Gandhi International Airport New Delhi after his deportation from Qatar,” a police spokesman said.
He said Sofi was involved in a case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act regarding collection of funds for the militant outfit JeM.
“During the course of the investigation of the said case, one terrorist associate was arrested who revealed that he along with other terrorist associates were collecting money from various districts in Kashmir valley for JeM,” he said.
The spokesman said the collected amount was then handed over to Sofi who was staying in Qatar and was in contact with Pakistan-based militant Waleed Bhai for purchasing arms and ammunition from Pakistan.
Waleed Bhai — also linked with JeM — was killed in an encounter in Kulgam last year.
“Accordingly, a lookout notice was published against Sofi and a non-bailable warrant…was obtained from the court concerned. Consequent upon the deportation of the said accused from Qatar to India, he was arrested at IGI Airport New Delhi,” the spokesman said.
He said further investigation in the case is in progress.
3 LeT militant associates arrested in Bandipora: Police
Srinagar: Police in Bandipora have arrested three “militant associates” linked with proscribed militant outfit LeT and recovered incriminating materials from their possession.
According to a police spokesman, acting on specific inputs, Bandipora police along with 13RR and 45Bn CRPF in a joint operation at Rakhi Hajin apprehended three militant associates linked with proscribed outfit LeT.
They arrested persons have been identified as Bashir Ahmed Mir, son of Abdul Ahad Mir, resident of Rakhi Hajin; Irfan Ahmad Bhat alias Ifa, son of Ghulam Ahmad Bhat, resident of Bonikhan Mohalla Hajin, and Hilal Ahmad Parray, son of Ghulam Mustaffa Parray, resident of Parray Mohalla Hajin.
As per police records, they were involved in providing shelter, logistic and other support to the active militants in Sumbal and Hajin areas.
Incriminating materials including three live hand-grenades, one AK-47 magazine and 21 AK-rounds have been recovered from their possession. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation, police spokesman said.
He said a case (FIR No. 10/2021) under relevant section of law stands registered in Police Station Hajin and further investigation is in progress.
