MUMBAI: In the chargesheet submitted against seven arrested men in the alleged ISIS Maharashtra module case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has stated that all the accused were technically sound, particularly Bhiwandi-based 44-year-old Zulfikar Ali, who was working as a senior project manager at a multinational IT company and earning an annual package of around Rs 31 lakh.
It was also submitted that a wanted accused, Pune-based Shahnawaz Shaifuzzama (30), is a mining engineer and well-versed in technical details of explosives. “Furthermore, Kadeer Pathan (35) was working as a graphics designer in Pune and taught graphic design work skills to Imran Khan (22) and Yunus Saki (27) to conceal their actual identity in Pune,” the chargesheet said.
The chargesheet said that investigations had revealed that arrested accused, Kadeer Pathan, Imran Khan, Saki Kazi (28), Zulfikar Ali (44) Shamil Nachan (32) Aakif Nachan (44), Yunus Saki and four wanted suspects, were furthering the activities of ISIS on the directions of their absconding handler Mohammed. They wanted to give effect to terrorist activities and to take revenge on alleged atrocities on Muslims by Kafirs (non-Muslims).
“The same is evident from various steps of the preparation for a terrorist act, viz purchasing of materials to be used for fabrications of IED, causing practice detonations of such IEDs, locating targets for probable attacks, concealing the assembled IEDs at far-off places (subsequently recovered) and identifying places as hide-outs to be used post terror attacks,” the NIA’s chargesheet given to the accused on Wednesday said. It further said that the arrested accused hatched a conspiracy to create a group of trained and radicalised Muslim youths to give effect to the terrorist activities of ISIS.
The NIA said that during investigations from an excel document allegedly recovered, it was revealed that the accused were using code words for chemicals used for the manufacturing of explosiveSirka (vinegar) for sulphuric acid, rose water for acetone, and sharbat (sweetened beverage) for hydrogen peroxide. It said that during the bomb fabrication training—imparted by Khan and Saki—a handwritten note stating the steps and process of fabrication was authored by Pathan, Shamil and a wanted accused, Abdullaha Abdullaha, at whose house the coaching was done.
A witness told the NIA that in April or May 2022, he accompanied Aakif to Pune. He said Aakif carried two glasses which he alleged to be “sharbat”. The witness said, “After some time Aakif said the bottles contained important chemicals, to be handed over to the guests at Kondhwa, Pune. Aakif told me to switch off my mobile.”
“A forensic examination report from FSL Pune confirmed that the handwriting…matches that of Kadeer Pathan and Shamil Nachan,” the NIA said.
The agency said that there was evidence of foreign handlers funding the accused. The NIA further said that the accused used to contact their foreign-based handler over communication applications. “The same is evident from a txt file titled as ‘Bhola Mola’ that was recovered from digital devices,” the NIA said, adding that the file contained a memoir of the jungle visit. The chargesheet includes statements of 78 witnesses.
On July 19, the Pune police registered a case against Khan, Saki and Shahnawaz after they were allegedly found stealing a two wheeler from Kothrud. The chargesheet said during searches of the suspects’ residence, suspicious literatures, firearm pouch with live cartridges, forged documents, etc were recovered. The case was subsequently transferred to the Maharashtra ATS. ATS probe found that the accused had conducted bomb blast tests in the jungles of Pune, Kolhapur and Satara districts.
It was also submitted that a wanted accused, Pune-based Shahnawaz Shaifuzzama (30), is a mining engineer and well-versed in technical details of explosives. “Furthermore, Kadeer Pathan (35) was working as a graphics designer in Pune and taught graphic design work skills to Imran Khan (22) and Yunus Saki (27) to conceal their actual identity in Pune,” the chargesheet said.
The chargesheet said that investigations had revealed that arrested accused, Kadeer Pathan, Imran Khan, Saki Kazi (28), Zulfikar Ali (44) Shamil Nachan (32) Aakif Nachan (44), Yunus Saki and four wanted suspects, were furthering the activities of ISIS on the directions of their absconding handler Mohammed. They wanted to give effect to terrorist activities and to take revenge on alleged atrocities on Muslims by Kafirs (non-Muslims).
“The same is evident from various steps of the preparation for a terrorist act, viz purchasing of materials to be used for fabrications of IED, causing practice detonations of such IEDs, locating targets for probable attacks, concealing the assembled IEDs at far-off places (subsequently recovered) and identifying places as hide-outs to be used post terror attacks,” the NIA’s chargesheet given to the accused on Wednesday said. It further said that the arrested accused hatched a conspiracy to create a group of trained and radicalised Muslim youths to give effect to the terrorist activities of ISIS.
The NIA said that during investigations from an excel document allegedly recovered, it was revealed that the accused were using code words for chemicals used for the manufacturing of explosiveSirka (vinegar) for sulphuric acid, rose water for acetone, and sharbat (sweetened beverage) for hydrogen peroxide. It said that during the bomb fabrication training—imparted by Khan and Saki—a handwritten note stating the steps and process of fabrication was authored by Pathan, Shamil and a wanted accused, Abdullaha Abdullaha, at whose house the coaching was done.
A witness told the NIA that in April or May 2022, he accompanied Aakif to Pune. He said Aakif carried two glasses which he alleged to be “sharbat”. The witness said, “After some time Aakif said the bottles contained important chemicals, to be handed over to the guests at Kondhwa, Pune. Aakif told me to switch off my mobile.”
“A forensic examination report from FSL Pune confirmed that the handwriting…matches that of Kadeer Pathan and Shamil Nachan,” the NIA said.
The agency said that there was evidence of foreign handlers funding the accused. The NIA further said that the accused used to contact their foreign-based handler over communication applications. “The same is evident from a txt file titled as ‘Bhola Mola’ that was recovered from digital devices,” the NIA said, adding that the file contained a memoir of the jungle visit. The chargesheet includes statements of 78 witnesses.
On July 19, the Pune police registered a case against Khan, Saki and Shahnawaz after they were allegedly found stealing a two wheeler from Kothrud. The chargesheet said during searches of the suspects’ residence, suspicious literatures, firearm pouch with live cartridges, forged documents, etc were recovered. The case was subsequently transferred to the Maharashtra ATS. ATS probe found that the accused had conducted bomb blast tests in the jungles of Pune, Kolhapur and Satara districts.
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