2 held for terror met Pak Army Major seen in Abhinandan photo: Delhi Police to court

The Pakistani “Major” was among nine persons identified by the two accused, Zeeshan Qamar (28), a resident of Allahabad in UP, and Osama alias Sami (22), a resident of Jamia Nagar in Delhi, the chargesheet claims. Both were allegedly trained by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), according to the chargesheet.

“They have identified one Hamza, he is from PoK and lives in Islamabad. He was the head of the training which accused Zeeshan and Osama took from one Jabbar, Rawalpindi. Hamza also told them that he was also present at the time of arrest of Wing Commander Abhinandan, who was captured at Pakistan border during retaliation of Balakot air strike. He is a Major in Pak Army,” Investigation Officer ACP Lalit Mohan Negi states in the chargesheet.

On Monday, the court took cognizance of the chargesheet, which was filed on February 9 this year.

Abhinandan was captured on February 27, 2019, on the other side of the border after his fighter jet was shot down during an air skirmish following the Balakot air strike the previous day. He returned to India two days later.

Last year, Qamar and Osama were among five men identified by Special CP (Special Cell) Neeraj Thakur for their alleged role in a terror plot. Apart from the two, Thakur had said that the Special Cell had arrested Jaan Mohammed Sheikh (47) from Maharashtra, Moolchand alias Saaju (47) from UP’s Rae Bareli, Mohd Abu Bakar (23) from UP’s Bahraich and Mohd Amir Javed (31) from Lucknow, in September.

“Two of the accused, Osama and Zeeshan, got training this year (2021) in Pakistan and were getting instructions from the ISI. They were asked to conduct recce of suitable locations in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh for planting IEDs,” Thakur had said.

The chargesheet claims that Zeeshan and Osama visited Oman and Pakistan, and also met a member of the Dawood Ibrahim gang.

“Accused…were interrogated regarding their visit to Muscat, Oman and Thatta, Pakistan for training of preparation of IED bombs, weapon handling, firing and different methods of arsoning. During their training, they met different persons and visited different places. They have identified and pointed out the persons and places on internet, web through open sources available on internet,” the chargesheet states.

“They have also identified one Bashir Khan, who is from Maharashtra and escaped to Pakistan after 1993 Mumbai blasts. He was part of Dawood Ibrahim gang, and during their training, he visited and motivated them for Jihad. He introduced them and informed them about his involvement in 1993 Mumbai blasts,” the chargesheet states.