A Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court in Jammu has issued an open-dated non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder and UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Muhammad Saeed in connection with the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack. The court held that Saeed's arrest and custodial interrogation are essential for conducting a "fair, complete and effective investigation" into the deadly attack. The NIA informed the court that Saeed is currently operating from Pakistan and is deliberately evading arrest, making it impossible to execute a conventional warrant within a fixed time frame.
Accepting the agency's submissions, the Special Court issued an open-dated non-bailable warrant, allowing law enforcement agencies to execute it whenever the accused is apprehended. An open-dated NBW does not carry an expiry date and remains legally valid until it is executed, cancelled or withdrawn by the court. Such warrants are generally issued when an accused is absconding, residing outside India's jurisdiction or deliberately avoiding legal proceedings.
In this case, the order ensures that Saeed can be arrested immediately if he enters Indian jurisdiction or is extradited in the future. The court observed that Saeed's custodial interrogation would be necessary to uncover the full conspiracy behind the Pahalgam terror attack.
Investigators believe his questioning could help establish the planning, financing, command structure and involvement of individuals or organisations linked to the assault. The April 22 attack in Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination in Jammu and Kashmir, claimed multiple lives and triggered a massive counterterrorism investigation. The NIA subsequently took over the probe, examining the roles of terrorist handlers, financial networks and cross-border conspirators allegedly connected to the incident.
According to the NIA, the evidence gathered during the investigation points to the involvement of Pakistan-based terrorist operatives. The agency has maintained that Hafiz Saeed, the founder of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, remains a key figure in the investigation because of his alleged links to terrorist activities directed against India.
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The issuance of the warrant strengthens the legal framework of the investigation even though Saeed is believed to be outside India's reach. While the warrant does not guarantee his immediate arrest, it enables Indian authorities to seek international cooperation and preserves the legal process against him without procedural delays. Legal experts note that an open-dated NBW also allows investigating agencies to pursue additional judicial processes, including requests for extradition, mutual legal assistance and the issuance of international notices through appropriate channels, if required. It demonstrates that the accused has been formally summoned through the judicial process but has failed to submit to the court's jurisdiction.
Hafiz Saeed has long been designated as a terrorist by India, the United Nations and several other countries. He has been accused of masterminding multiple terror attacks targeting India, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks, allegations he has consistently denied. The latest court order marks another significant step in the investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack. Although Saeed remains in Pakistan, the warrant ensures that criminal proceedings against him continue and that he can be taken into custody whenever Indian authorities are able to secure his arrest, reinforcing the NIA's efforts to establish accountability for one of the deadliest terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years.
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