The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has told a special court in Jammu that Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed is currently in Pakistan and is allegedly continuing to support terrorist activities targeting Jammu and Kashmir. Acting on the agency’s application, the court has issued a non-bailable warrant against the Pakistan-based terrorist.

The latest warrant is part of the continuing legal action against Saeed, who is among India’s most-wanted terrorists and has been designated as a terrorist under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The NIA has alleged that he remains involved in providing support to terrorist networks operating in the Kashmir Valley.

According to the agency’s submissions, Saeed has been evading arrest and is not available within India’s jurisdiction. The NIA told the court that his presence in Pakistan has made it impossible for investigators to secure his arrest through ordinary legal procedures.

The agency has alleged that Saeed has been involved in supplying weapons, providing financial assistance and issuing directions to terrorists active in Jammu and Kashmir. These allegations form part of a wider investigation into cross-border terror networks and their alleged attempts to strengthen militant operations in the region.

Jammu court issues non-bailable warrant

The special NIA court in Jammu issued the warrant after considering the agency’s request for legal action against Saeed. The development represents another step in India’s efforts to bring the Pakistan-based terror leader before the Indian judicial system despite his absence from the country.

The NIA has maintained that arrest and custodial interrogation of Saeed are important for a complete investigation. Investigators are seeking to establish the extent of his alleged involvement in directing, financing and supporting terrorist activities linked to Jammu and Kashmir.

Because Saeed is believed to be in Pakistan, executing the warrant presents a significant legal and diplomatic challenge. The proceedings nevertheless allow Indian authorities to continue building the case against him and pursuing further judicial measures under Indian law.

Saeed’s alleged role in Kashmir terror activities

The NIA has accused Saeed of maintaining links with terrorist networks involved in activities in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the agency, his alleged role extends beyond providing ideological support and includes the provision of resources and operational directions to individuals involved in terrorism.

The investigation is focused on the wider network through which Pakistan-based handlers allegedly communicate with operatives in the Kashmir Valley. Investigators are examining how weapons, funds and instructions are allegedly transferred to terrorist elements operating on the ground.

The allegations against Saeed are particularly significant because of his long association with LeT, a Pakistan-based terrorist organisation that has been accused of carrying out and supporting several attacks against India.

Link to the wider Pahalgam terror investigation

Saeed has also emerged as a major accused in the investigation into the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack. The attack, which took place in Jammu and Kashmir, killed 26 people, most of them tourists, and became one of the most serious terrorist incidents in the region in recent years.

The NIA subsequently filed a supplementary chargesheet naming Saeed as an alleged key conspirator in the Pahalgam case. Investigators have alleged that the conspiracy was planned with involvement from Pakistan-based terrorist networks.

A Jammu court had earlier issued a non-bailable warrant against Saeed in connection with the Pahalgam case. The legal proceedings could eventually pave the way for further action against the accused even if he remains outside India.

Who is Hafiz Muhammad Saeed?

Hafiz Muhammad Saeed is the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba and has long been identified by Indian authorities as a major figure in Pakistan-based terrorism directed against India. He has also been associated with Jamaat-ud-Dawa, an organisation described by Indian authorities as a front for LeT.

Saeed has been accused in several terrorism-related cases and has been a central figure in India’s efforts to pursue Pakistan-based militant leaders. He is also wanted in connection with the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and other cases involving alleged terrorism and terror financing.

India has repeatedly sought action against Saeed, while his continued presence in Pakistan has remained a major obstacle to his prosecution in India.

Legal proceedings continue despite Saeed’s absence

The latest warrant is important because Indian authorities can continue the judicial process even when an accused person is outside the country’s territory. Indian criminal law provides mechanisms for dealing with accused persons who deliberately remain abroad and avoid appearing before courts.

In serious cases, courts can take additional steps after the issuance of warrants, including proceedings related to declaring an accused a proclaimed offender. The legal framework also provides for trials in absentia under specified circumstances.

Such proceedings are intended to prevent fugitives from indefinitely delaying criminal investigations simply by remaining outside India’s jurisdiction.

For the NIA, the immediate objective remains establishing the full chain of the alleged conspiracy and determining the role played by Pakistan-based handlers and terrorist organisations.

India-Pakistan dimension

The case also highlights the continuing security concerns arising from Pakistan-based terrorist organisations and their alleged links with militant activity in Jammu and Kashmir.

India has repeatedly accused Pakistan-based groups of supporting terrorism in Kashmir. Pakistan has historically denied allegations that its government directly sponsors terrorist attacks, while India has continued to press for action against individuals it considers responsible for attacks on Indian soil.

The inability to physically arrest Saeed in Pakistan means that the Indian investigation will rely heavily on documentary evidence, digital and financial records, witness statements, communications data and other material gathered during the probe.

The NIA’s latest action therefore represents both a legal development in the ongoing investigation and another attempt to hold a prominent Pakistan-based terrorist leader accountable through Indian judicial proceedings.

The investigation remains ongoing, and further action could follow as investigators examine the broader network allegedly responsible for financing, facilitating and directing terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.