A Jammu court paves way for his trial in absentia under India’s new criminal law
In a significant development in the investigation into the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, a Jammu court has issued a non-bailable warrant against Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed, clearing the path for him to be tried in absentia under recently enacted criminal laws.
The move comes after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a supplementary chargesheet naming the Pakistan-based terror mastermind as the key conspirator behind the April 22, 2025 attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. According to investigators, Saeed played a central role in planning, directing and monitoring the terrorist strike from Pakistan.
Investigators told the court that Saeed remains beyond India’s reach because he is allegedly being sheltered in Pakistan, making his physical production before an Indian court impossible. Citing the new legal provisions that permit trials in absentia for absconding accused involved in grave offences, the NIA sought permission to proceed without his presence.
Under the new law, courts may conduct proceedings against fugitives who deliberately evade the judicial process despite repeated summons and warrants. Once an accused is declared a fugitive and sufficient evidence exists, the trial can continue even if the person remains outside the country.
The supplementary chargesheet expands on the NIA’s earlier investigation by detailing Saeed’s alleged role in orchestrating the cross-border conspiracy and includes additional forensic evidence collected during the probe. The agency had filed its first chargesheet in December 2025 against the three terrorists who carried out the attack. Those terrorists were later eliminated during Operation Mahadev in July 2025.
The investigation has also named several other accused, including Pakistan-based handlers and local operatives allegedly involved in facilitating the attack. The NIA maintains that the evidence establishes a wider cross-border terror network behind one of the deadliest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years.
The court’s order marks a major legal milestone, allowing Indian authorities to pursue judicial proceedings against one of India’s most wanted terror accused despite his continued presence outside the country.
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