NIA files chargesheet against Pakistan diplomat in city court

The NIA has submitted over 90 documents as fresh evidence supporting its stance on the involvement of the Pakistani diplomat in the 3,000 plus pages of supplementary chargesheet filed in the Poonamalee Court on Thursday.

On Thursday, the agency filed a chargesheet against Amir Zubair Siddique, Balasubramanian alias Balan and Noorudeen alias Rafi alias Ismail at NIA special court, under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and IPC for the involvement and conspiracy to wage war against the Government of India, causing explosion in American consulate in Chennai and various other places in South India. “Siddique has been acting as handler of ISI spies, he recruited from Sri Lanka as well as Tamil Nadu, with an aim to destabilise south India. He wanted to set off a series of attacks at vital installations and he was funding the same, using Indian counterfeit currency printed in Pakistan,” NIA sources said.

The case primarily relates to the arrest of Zakir Hussain – a Sri Lankan national in the year 2014 and his links with the Pakistani diplomat. Zakir Hussain, on instructions from Siddiqui, allegedly entered the country to carry out reconnaissance of the US Consulate in Chennai and Israeli Consulate in Bengaluru. Siddiqui was also the handler of Tameem Ansari, a native of Athiramapatinam, who was arrested in 2012 in Tiruchy with digital dossiers of vital establishments in South India when he was trying to fly to Colombo. Sources also said that Siddiqui is not serving in Colombo anymore and presently lives in Pakistan. NIA is also taking steps to put him on the Interpol red corner notice, besides issuing a look out circular across the airports in the country.

It may be recalled that Amir Zubair Siddiqui was withdrawn from Pakistan mission in Colombo even before NIA’s request under Mutual Assistance Legal Treaty (MLAT) reached Sri Lankan capital.