The Taj Hotel in Mumbai was the prime target of 2008 attack by Pakistani terrorists.
A former Lashkar operative arrested by Pakistan for his involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack was today acquitted.
Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency said that "no allegation has been proved against" Sufayan Zafar, who was accused of financing Rs 14,800 for the attack and providing Rs 3.98 crore to co accused Shahid Jameel Riaz prior to the attack.
"The FIA has found no evidence against Zafar during investigation," an official said. He said the allegation that he had financed one of the arrested suspects in Mumbai attack case could not be proved after thorough investigation.
"Zafar's role in providing finances to a Mumbai attacks suspect(s) has not been established." He said Zafar would not be charge-sheeted in the court for alleged allegations.
"FIA will submit a challan in the trial court in this regard on next hearing on September 22 but will not frame charges against him," the official said.
Zafar was hiding after being declared proclaimed offender in the Mumbai case. He was arrested early last month from his hideout in Kyber-Pakhtaunkhawa province.
A resident of Gujrawala district of Punjab, approximately 80 km from Lahore, Zafar is among 21 other (absconding) suspects wanted in this high-profile case.
Six other suspects - Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younus Anjum - have been lodged in the Adiyala Jail Rrawalpindi since 2009 for abetment to murder, attempted murder, planning and executing the Mumbai attacks.
Prime suspect Lashkar-e-Taiba operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, believed to be the mastermind of the Mumbai attacks, has in hiding after getting bail over a year ago.
166 people including many foreigners were killed in the 2008 Mumbai attack carried out by 10 Lashkar terrorists. Nine of the attackers were killed and lone survivor Ajmal Kasab was captured and later hanged in 2012.