Jammu: The State Investigation Agency (SIA) of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday claimed to have achieved a major breakthrough with the arrest of the kingpin of a narco-terror module from Mumbai airport.
Mohammad Arshad alias Asif, a resident of Degwar-Terwan village in Haveli tehsil of Poonch, had been absconding since 2023 and was operating from Saudi Arabia, a spokesperson of the agency said here.
“He was the kingpin of a narco-terror module and key link between Pakistan-based handlers and narco-terror operatives in Jammu and Kashmir,” the spokesperson said.
The SIA Jammu had earlier issued a Look-Out Circular (LOC) against Arshad in 2023, followed by the issuance of a Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) from the competent court.
The accused has been taken into custody on a three-day transit remand from Mumbai, he said.
A total of eight accused were found involved in the case, out of which two were absconding. One absconder, Laquit Ahmed, was earlier arrested by SIA-Jammu from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad in March 2025, who had absconded soon after the incident to Dubai, the spokesperson said.
“Arshad had facilitated the travel of co-accused Ahmed to Dubai and also organised a secret meeting in the Surankote area of Poonch for reviving terrorism and narco-terror activities in the Pir Panjal region under his guidance,” he said.
“The arrest marks a significant success for the SIA, Jammu and Kashmir in its sustained efforts to dismantle networks involved in narco-terrorism and cross-border subversive activities,” the spokesperson said.
SIA files chargesheet against Pakistani handler, 6 others in narco-terror case
The State Investigation Agency on Saturday filed a chargesheet in an NIA court here against seven persons accused in a narco-terror case in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
The chargesheet was submitted before the Court of Special Judge (designated under the NIA Act), Srinagar, in a case registered earlier this year, they said.
“The case pertains to a narco-terror module allegedly operated by Pakistan-based handler Mushtaq Ahmad Khan alias Khalid Bhai of the Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen,” officials added.
According to officials, the FIR was registered on January 6 at the Parimpora police station after nine kilograms of heroin were recovered from a vehicle during naka checking in the area.
The chargesheet has been filed by the SIA under Sections 13, 18, 20, 38, and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and Sections 8, 21, and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act against the seven accused, including one absconding, officials said.
The accused have been identified as Anas Aijaz, Zahid Ahmad Sheikh, Tanzeer Ahmad Najar, Bilal Shabir Awan (absconding), Mushtaq Ahmad Khan (operating from Pakistan), Basit Ashraf Malik, and Arsalan Mushtaq Bangri, they added.
