NIA Names Eight in Ambala Car Blast Chargesheet, Alleged Pakistan Link
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against eight individuals in connection with a car bomb explosion that occurred in January at a police station parking lot in Ambala, Haryana. The accused include Shehzad Bhatti, a Pakistani national whom the agency describes as a 'gangster-turned-terrorist', and seven Indian nationals.
The explosion took place in the parking area of the Baldev Nagar Police Station. According to the NIA, the attack was planned to spread terror by targeting police establishments. Bhatti, who is wanted in other terrorism cases, allegedly orchestrated the conspiracy from Pakistan.
The seven Indian accused have been identified as Karamjit Singh, Akash, Soureb, Raman Kumar, Satyam, Sukhdev Singh, and Amarjeet Singh. The chargesheet details their roles, stating that Bhatti formed operational modules in India and assigned local operatives to arrange logistics and explosives for attacks on police stations.
The NIA alleges that Akash was Bhatti's principal India-based operative, responsible for coordinating with other accused. The group conducted reconnaissance of potential targets, and some members parked a car packed with gas cylinders and explosives at the police station premises. They also videographed the scene for dissemination.
According to the agency, Bhatti recruited and radicalised the accused through social media and encrypted communication channels. Digital, electronic, documentary, and forensic evidence reportedly shows that the accused were in constant touch with their handler during the planned attack.
The NIA has so far uncovered a chain of recruitment, financing, operational coordination, procurement of explosives, and execution of the terrorist act under Bhatti's directions. The case remains under investigation, and further arrests or evidence may emerge.
