KL Report
SRINAGAR
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday cleared Liaqat Shah, of all charges levelled against him by Delhi Police Special Cell.
The NIA filed a charge sheet against Delhi Police suspected “source” Sabir Khan Pathan in the case, sources said.
Pertinently, Liyaqat, a resident of Lalpura village in Kupwara district in north Kashmir was arrested by the Delhi Police on March 20, 2013 from near Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh after he had crossed over to India from Nepal.
The Home Ministry had on March 28, 2013 issued a notification facilitating the NIA to take over the case after his arrest had generated conflicting versions from Delhi and J&K Police.
Liyaqat had said that he had come to surrender under the Jammu and Kashmir government’s rehabilitation policy.
However, Delhi Police, which arrested him soon after he had crossed the border with his family, alleged that Liyaqat was involved in the conspiracy to carry out militant attacks in the New Delhi.
The controversy had broken over the arrest of Liyaqat Shah by Delhi Police which claimed that he was a Hizbul Mujahideen militant who had come to plan a suicide attack in New Delhi. However, the charges were contested by the Jammu and Kashmir Police saying that he was returning to the Valley for surrendering.
The family members of Liyaqat too had argued that he entered into India through Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh and he presented himself to border guarding force – SSB. However, instead of handing him to state Police, Liyaqat was given to Delhi Police.
Jammu and Kashmir Police had also said that Delhi Police had informed them about Liyaqat and claimed that he should be sent to the Valley as he was going to surrender.
As an important Confidence Building Measure (CBM), the state government and the Union Home Ministry earlier made a policy for those who had joined militant ranks in 1990s and wishing to return would be allowed under “Relief and Rehabilitation policy”.
Liyaqat had also returned under that policy but accused of being a part of some plot to attack in New Delhi. (With inputs from ‘The Hindu’)
