Pahalgam Terror Probe Takes Big Turn as NIA Names Hafiz Saeed

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a supplementary chargesheet in the 2015 Pahalgam terror attack case, naming Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed as one of the prime accused

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Jul 6, 2026 - 17:00

Pahalgam Terror Probe Takes Big Turn as NIA Names Hafiz Saeed

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a supplementary chargesheet in the 2015 Pahalgam terror attack case, naming Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed as one of the prime accused. A special NIA court in Jammu has received a chargesheet with new evidence on the conspiracy behind the attack that killed 26 people, including 25 tourists and a local pony operator. This is yet another important step in India’s investigation into one of the worst terror attacks in recent years in Jammu and Kashmir.

Hafiz Saeed was designated the prime conspirator.

The NIA has charged Hafiz Saeed in his individual capacity and as the chief of the banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba and its proxy organisation, The Resistance Front (TRF), it said. The investigators said he was planning, directing and supporting the terror conspiracy from Pakistan. The agency has invoked provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), including charges related to terrorism, criminal conspiracy and waging war against India.

Evidence of Cross-Border Planning

The additional chargesheet is said to contain forensic reports, digital evidence, technical analysis, financial links and witness statements collected over a period of several months of investigation. The NIA said the evidence suggests that the attack was planned and coordinated from Pakistan by operatives and handlers of Lashkar-e-Taiba. Officials say the new findings strengthen India’s case on cross-border support for terrorism.

Further Research

This comes on the heels of the NIA’s earlier chargesheet filed in 2025, in which Pakistani handler Sajid Jatt, two arrested accused and three terrorists, who were later killed during Operation Mahadev, were named. The agency has widened the scope of the probe and consolidated its claims about the alleged masterminds of the attack by naming Hafiz Saeed as an accused.

Ongoing investigation

The NIA said the investigation is continuing and further action could be taken if new evidence came to light. The supplementary chargesheet will bolster the prosecution’s case during the trial and India’s efforts to bring to book the perpetrators of cross-border terrorism, officials said. The case is crucial in the larger battle against terrorism in India and to hold the masterminds of the Pahalgam attack accountable.