Pahalgam attack mastermind exposed: NIA charges Hafiz Saeed in cross-border conspiracy

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): In a major move, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has named Pakistan-based terrorist Hafiz Saeed as an accused in its supplementary charge sheet in the Pahalgam terror attack case. Hafiz Saeed is said to be the head and founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba and its affiliate, The Resistance Front (TRF).

The NIA filed this supplementary charge sheet in a special court in Jammu on Monday. It accuses Hafiz Saeed individually and as the head of banned terrorist organizations. According to the agency, he has been charged under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 2023 and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967. These include serious charges such as waging war against India and hatching a cross-border conspiracy. This supplementary charge sheet follows a detailed 1,597-page charge sheet. It details Pakistan's conspiracy, Hafiz Saeed's role, the scientific investigation conducted by the NIA and the evidence collected at the scene.

Earlier, on December 15, 2025, the NIA filed its first charge sheet, naming Pakistani handler Sajid Jatt as an accused. The case also included three terrorists killed during Operation Mahadev in July 2025 and two arrested suspects. The investigating agency also named Lashkar-e-Taiba and the TRF as responsible for planning, supporting, and executing the attack.

The attack occurred on April 22, 2025, in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where terrorists targeted 25 tourists and one local civilian on the basis of religion. Following the incident, a case was registered at the Pahalgam police station, which was later handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) by the Union Home Ministry. The NIA is now investigating the matter and attempting to uncover Pakistan's conspiracy to promote cross-border terrorism in India.