NIA charges four LeT-TRF terrorists, two locals in Pahalgam terror attack; conspiracy traced to Pakistan​​

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday (December 15, 2025) charged seven persons in the Pahalgam terror attack case in a Jammu court, including Pakistani handler and terrorist Sajid Jatt of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and The Resistance Front (TRF) terrorist organisations, and traced the conspiracy to Pakistan.

“Through a meticulous scientific probe spanning the past almost eight months, it had traced the conspiracy in the case to Pakistan, which has been unabatedly sponsoring terrorism against India,” an NIA spokesperson said.

The NIA invoked a penal Section of the law against the accused for “waging war against India”.

The 1,597-page charge sheet submitted to a special court named three Pakistani terrorists killed by Indian security forces during the action in Operation Mahadev at Dachigam, Srinagar, in July 2025. They were identified as Faisal Jatt alias Suleman Shah, Habeeb Tahir alias Jibran, and Hamza Afghani, besides Jatt. 

Jatt is a Pakistani national from Kasur district in Pakistan’s Punjab. Officials said his original name is Habibullah Malik and he had many aliases, including Saifullah, Noomi, Numan, Langda, Ali Sajid, Usman Habib, and Shani. 

The charge sheet details the conspiracy by Pakistan and the roles of the accused. “With supporting evidence in the case, [the NIA] has charged the banned LeT/TRF as a legal entity for its role in planning, facilitating, and executing the Pahalgam attack,” the NIA said.

The attack left 25 tourists and one local civilian dead.

The LeT and TRF, and the four accused terrorists, have been charged under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023; the Arms Act, 1959; and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

The NIA also charged two locals for allegedly harbouring terrorists. They were identified as Parvaiz Ahmad and Bashir Ahmad Jothad, who were arrested by the NIA on June 22, 2025.

“During interrogation, the two men had disclosed the identities of the three armed terrorists involved in the attack, and had also confirmed that they were Pakistani nationals affiliated to the proscribed LeT terror outfit,” the NIA said.