New Delhi, Jul 23 (IANS): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has raided the residential premises of an accused, who is absconding in connection with the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) terror conspiracy case, an official said.

The raid was conducted at the house of Riaz Ahmed alias Hazari, a resident of Kishtwar district of Jammu & Kashmir.

The NIA has announced a cash reward of Rs three lakh for leads on Hazari. The searches conducted at his house led to the seizure of one mobile phone, which was being analysed.

The case was initially lodged by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad, on September 12, 2018, was re-registered by the NIA under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act on September 24, 2018.

The case was registered against Kamruk Zaman and others related to a criminal conspiracy to carry out terror attacks by HM cadres at different places in Uttar Pradesh and other parts of India.

Zaman and one accused, Osama Bin Javed, who is absconding, were charge sheeted before the Special NIA Court in Lucknow on March 11, 2019, under various sections of the IPC and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Osama was killed in an encounter with the security forces on September 28, 2019.

Subsequently, on May 29, 2021, a supplementary charge sheet was filed against the accused persons, Nisar Ahmad Sheikh and Nishad Ahmad Butt, both residents of Jammu and Kashmir.

A second supplementary charge sheet was filed against the accused Danish Naseer on November 25, 2022.

Investigations have revealed that the accused Zaman was radicalised by Osama to join the HM and both received nine months of physical and weapon-handling training by HM cadres.

The accused Hazari, an active militant and district Deputy Commander of HM, along with another co-accused Mohammad Amin, also an active militant and District Commander of HM, was involved in recruiting and training accused Zaman and Osama in the forests of Kishtwar district.

After completion of training, Zaman was directed to set up bases and hideouts, and select targets in Uttar Pradesh, Assam and other parts of India for terrorist activities. Accordingly, he had come to Kanpur where he had also carried out reconnaissance of a few targets.