New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has appointed advocate Shri Singh as the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) to conduct the trial in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack case on behalf of the National Investigation Agency (NIA). As per notification issued by the MHA, Shri Singh will represent the NIA before the NIA Special Court, Jammu, and the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh for a period of three years, or until the completion of the trial–whichever is earlier. The appointment has been made under sub-section (1) of Section 15 of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, read with sub-section (8) of Section 18 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023. In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 15 of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 (34 of2008), read with sub-section (8) of section 18 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, the Central Government hereby appoints Mr. Shri Singh, Advocate as Special Public Prosecutor for conducting trial and other matters related to NIA case No. RC-02/2025/NIA/JMU, on behalf of the National Investigation Agency, before the NIA Special Court, Jammu and High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh for a period of 3 years from the date of publication of this notification or till the completion of trial of the said case, whichever is earlier,” reads the notification issued on October 28. The terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 killed 6 innocent civilians, mostly Hindu tourists. The attack sparked nationwide outrage and prompted a strong response from India. In a decisive response to the gruesome terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) had approved a series of stringent measures targeting Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terrorism, and launch of a military campaign Operation Sindoor to punish the perpetrators and destroy the infrastructure sustaining cross-border terrorism.
The case was subsequently taken over by the NIA, given its national security implications. The appointment of a Special Public Prosecutor is expected to expedite the trial process and strengthen the prosecution’s efforts in one of the key terror-related cases in Jammu and Kashmir. By the end of June, 2025, in a major breakthrough in the Pahalgam terror attack case, the NIA had arrested two men for harbouring the terrorists who had carried out the horrendous attack that killed 26 innocent tourists and grievously injured 16 others.
The two men– Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar from Batkote in Pahalgam and Bashir Ahmad Jothar of Hill Park in Pahalgam– disclosed the identities of the three armed terrorists involved in the attack, and also confirmed that they were Pakistani nationals affiliated to the proscribed terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The NIA has said that both Parvaiz and Bashir had knowingly harboured the three armed terrorists at a seasonal dhok (hut) at Hill Park before the attack. “The two men had provided food, shelter and logistical support to the terrorists, who had, on the fateful afternoon, selectively killed the tourists on the basis of their religious identity, making it one of the most gruesome terrorist attacks ever.” NIA, which arrested the duo under Section 19 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA), is further investigating the case RC-02/2025/NIA/JMU, registered after the attack that shook the world.