NIA gets 45-day custody extension in Pahalgam terror probe

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) recently secured a 45-day extension of custody for two men accused of aiding the terrorists behind the April 22 Pahalgam massacre, with a special court ruling that the probe remains at a “crucial juncture.”

The accused, Pahalgam residents Bashir Ahmad Jothatd and Parvaiz Ahmed, were arrested on June 22 for allegedly sheltering and supplying food and logistical support to the attackers. Their statutory 90-day custody under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was set to expire on September 19.

Public prosecutor Chandan Kumar Singh argued that investigators had recovered “Pakistani phone numbers” from the accused, while forensic and DNA reports on seized items—including arms from a July 28 encounter in Srinagar—were still pending.

He said these were crucial to establishing links between the accused and three slain militants: Suleiman, Hamza Afghani, and Jibran, who security agencies believe carried out the April 22 attack that killed 26 people.

Defense counsel Ashwani Kumar opposed the extension, saying the NIA had failed to produce conclusive evidence despite two months of custody. The special NIA judge, Sandeep Gandotra, rejected the defense plea, ruling that the gravity of allegations and pending forensic analysis warranted additional time.

Observing that “a prima facie case is made out for extension of remand and detention of accused beyond the stipulated period,” the court granted the NIA 45 more days to complete its investigation.

The court had last month rejected the agency’s request to subject the accused to polygraph or narco-analysis tests, citing constitutional protections against self-incrimination under Article 20(3).