NIA issues fresh red corner notice against JeM leaders Shahid Latif and Kashif Jan; supplementary Letter Rogatory with new evidences
They came. They saw. They left. And never responded back. That is how the saga on Pathankot probe is turning out following the high-profile visit by Pakistan’s Joint Investigation Team to India.
Although Pakistan has refused to 'reciprocate’ on India’s request to allow a visit of its investigating officials on its soil, the National Investigating Agency is continuing to press additional evidences against the purported masterminds. As a part of its effort, NIA is issuing fresh red corner notices against Jaish-e-Mohammad suspects Shahid Latif and Kashif Jan for their role in providing tactical support and logistics to the four militants who crossed from Pakistan to attack the airbase in Pathankot. It has also sent a supplementary Letters Rogatory – third in the series since March – with evidence on individuals and entities linked with JeM, as well as funding of JeM’s websites Al Qalam online and Rang-o-Noor.
“Pakistan has so far not responded to any of our communication or previous LRs. But we remain optimistic as we have strong evidences,’’ a senior NIA official told reporters on Tuesday. The five-member JIT visited India from March 27 to April 1, during which they visited the air base and recorded statements of 16 witnesses.
India’s repeated requests to visit Pakistan and finish the 'joint investigation’ has hit roadblock, although officials expect Pakistan to act on the basis of reciprocity, like they did for the JIT.
On May 13, the Central Bureau of Investigation – nodal agency representing Interpol – re-issued RCNs against JeM leader Maulana Masood Azhar and his brother Abdul Rauf. RCNs already exist on both, but NIA is hoping reissuing an RCN will put pressure on the international community to act urgently against them.
The agency is also in the process of issuing fresh RCNs against two handlers Latif and Jan. According to NIA, Lateef is a senior associate in JeM with close knowledge on border areas of India. He was arrested and in Indian jail from 1994 until 2010 when he was released along with 20 other militants from Pakistan in a goodwill gesture to strengthen relationship with the neighbouring country. Lateef is believed to have helped JeM militants to cross over in the Punjab sector from where they made their way to the strategic airbase in Pathankot. The militants also made calls to a Pakistani number which was later traced to Kashif Jan and were in contact with him on phone for guidance.
In its supplementary LR’s – a formal request issued by a court under the international legal procedure – the NIA has provided additional details on the identity and dna of the slain terrorists and financiers of Al Qalam online and Rang-o-Noor websites that are run by al Rahmat trust, a frontal organisation of JeM. In the LR, Pakistan authorities have been told to match the dna samples with the parents of the slain terrorist and send it back to India.
“We have a strong case to visit Pakistan as the individuals and entities related to JeM and Pathankot attack are there. We have provided them (Pakistan) with all the evidence, establishing that the militants are Pakistani residents, after which they even registered an FIR there. Now it is upto them to proceed and take action,” the NIA officer said.
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