JAMMU: In separate orders in two terror-related cases, a special NIA court in Jammu has declared a Rajouri native allegedly living in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir a “proclaimed offender” for repeatedly failing to appear before the court, while directing that forensic data extracted from a cellphone recovered at an encounter site be kept confidential and treated as “protected material”.Special Judge Prem Sagar passed the orders in separate proceedings on Wednesday.In the first case, the court declared Mushtaq Ahmed Mir, a native of Thanamang village in Rajouri’s Darhal tehsil, a proclaimed offender under BNSS Section 84. According to a report submitted by Darhal SHO, Mir allegedly crossed the Line of Control in 1995-96, joined terrorism and subsequently took shelter in PoK. A non-bailable warrant issued against him remained unexecuted.The court had issued a proclamation on July 20, 2026, directing Mir to appear. Despite publication in national and local English-language newspapers on Aug 13, he neither appeared nor surrendered. Observing that Mir was allegedly evading the legal process and that his arrest was not imminent, the court ordered that its proclamation order be sent to Govt Ranbir Press, Jammu, for publication in the Official Gazette.
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In another terror-related case, NIA told the court that Maneer Ahmed, arrested on April 15, 2026, was allegedly involved in harbouring terrorists and providing logistical support, including a cellphone, to ultras linked to an attack. During the investigation, a cellphone was recovered from an encounter site. Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Chandigarh, extracted its data.After examining NIA’s application and the relevant legal provisions, including Section 17 of NIA Act and Section 44 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Justice Sagar ordered that the identified exhibit in the chargesheet be treated as protected material. The court clerk was directed not to disclose its contents during the trial and to preserve it in a sealed cover at a secure location within the court premises.
