Hyderabad hand grenade case: NIA files chargesheet against three LeT operatives
Hyderabad: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday filed a chargesheet against three Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) operatives for their role in a terrorist conspiracy to raise cash, acquire explosives, and carry out recruitment into the LeT.
The central investigative agency has filed a chargesheet against LeT operatives Mohd Abdul, Wajid, and Maaz Hasan Farooq following thorough investigations into the case involving LeT terrorists who were targeting the city. In January 2023, the NIA took over the investigations from the Hyderabad police.
Four hand-grenades were dead-dropped at an isolated spot near Manoharabad village on Hyderabad-Nagpur Highway (NH-44) on September 28, 2022. Zahed, another LeT operative, got the hand-grenade consignment collected through Sami and then gave one grenade each to Sami and Maaz with instructions to hurl the same at public gatherings during Dasara festival. However, their devious plan was thwarted as they were arrested before the planned attacks. The grenades were recovered from their possession during a search of their houses. Around Rs 20 lakh was seized from Zahed.
The NIA Investigations revealed that Zahed, Sami, and Maaz were in touch with Farhatulla Ghori, an ‘individual terrorist’ listed by the Government of India. Simultaneously, the chargesheeted accused were also in league with Siddiqu bin Osman, Abdul Majeed, and other LeT operatives. They had aimed to carry out bomb blasts at crowded places in the city, stated NIA.
Farhatulla Ghori, Siddiqu bin Osman, and Abdul Majeed are based in Pakistan, according to the NIA. Ghori recruited Zahed from cyberspace and sent funds to him through hawala channels. Zahed was tasked to recruit more operatives into LeT to carry out acts of terror. Sami, Maaz and Mohammed Kaleem were instigated and prodded by Zahed to work for the LeT, the NIA stated.
