NIA gives clean chit to Liyaqat Shah

New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) The NIA Saturday gave a clean chit to Sayyed Liyaqat Shah alias Liyaqat Bukhari who was arrested by Delhi Police on the charge of coming to India to put into force a conspiracy and execute attacks in Delhi in March 2013.

"The investigation conducted by the NIA has revealed that the charges against the accused were not proved and that he was coming into India to obtain the benefit of the surrender policy of the government of Jammu and Kashmir," the NIA said.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) dropped charges against Shah in a chargesheet filed against Sabir Khan Pathan alleging that he was responsible for the placement of weapons and explosives in a guest house room near Jama Masjid here.

Delhi Police has alleged that on the basis of his disclosure statement, the Special Cell raided the Haji Arafat Guest House, Jama Masjid, Delhi and recovered arms, ammunition and explosives.

The NIA has filed a chargesheet against Pathan under charges dealing with forgery and various section of the Arms Act and the Explosive Substances Act. Pathan is on the run.

The probe agency told the court that further investigation was being conducted to unravel the conspiracy behind the placement of the weapons.

Shah was arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi Police March 20, 2013 while he was returning from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to the Kashmir Valley via Nepal. He was later released on bail.

Jammu and Kashmir Police had protested the arrest, saying Shah was returning home as per the state government's policy of allowing people, who had ex-filtrated to PoK in the early 1990s, to come back.