2 decades after Hizbul commander escaped to Pakistan, J&K probe agency tries to bring investigation back to life

In an official release, the SIA said that its officers raided locations in Anantnag and Pulwama districts in the morning.

“Pursuant to its unrelenting efforts, SIA Kashmir conducted raids earlier today… in a case related to the escape of HM terrorist Amin Baba to Pakistan in 2005,” the SIA, a J&K equivalent of the National Investigation Agency, said in the statement. “(The) fresh raids in the case mark the unrelenting efforts of SIA Kashmir to gather evidence and bring all the accused persons to justice.”

Baba was a divisional commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen at the time. After his escape, the police arrested Rafiqi, who is now out of jail.

Police had alleged that Rafiqi and others prepared a fake passport for the militant commander and that he was ferried from south Kashmir to Wagah in the official vehicle of the former MLA. From Wagah, Baba crossed over to Pakistan.

A case was initially registered at the Bijbehara police station of South Kashmir. However, in 2023, the case was handed over to the SIA.

Police had accused Rafiqi of accompanying Baba in his official vehicle along with his two personal security officers (PSOs).

The lid over Baba’s escape was blown when police arrested a suspect in a mine blast at Sangam village of Bijbehara in south Kashmir. The suspect revealed that the mastermind of the bomb blast, Baba, had already escaped to Pakistan.

The SIA said it has already filed a chargesheet against four persons, including Rafiqi and his private secretary, in the case and is looking for other alleged conspirators.