As per the chargesheet filed before the NIA Special Court in Mumbai under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the six accused were involved in spreading ISIS propaganda, recruitment and fundraising for the global terrorist organisation.
“The accused were engaged in actively propagating the violent and extremist ideology of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and in carrying out acts preparatory to terrorist violence through recruitment of individuals to the organisation and its cause,” NIA said in a statement.
It also alleged a “larger conspiracy with international links” and the suspected involvement of foreign-based ISIS handlers.
The accused named in the chargesheet are Tabish Nasser Siddiqui from Mumbai, Zulfikar Ali Barodawalai, Sharjeel Shaikh, and Aakif Ateeque Nachan of Borivali-Padgha, and Zubair Noor Mohammad Shaikh and Adnanali Sarkar of Pune.
The central anti-terror agency alleges that they are all members of the ISIS outfit and had “hatched a conspiracy to further the terrorist activities” of the organisation to “strike fear and terror amongst the people and threaten the security of India its secular ethos and culture and the democratic system of governance”.
Two accused, Tabish and Zulfikar, had even taken an oath of allegiance (Bai’ath) to the self-styled Khalifa (leader) of ISIS.
The NIA also stated that their investigation has exposed a “complex network of individuals committed to propagating the extremist and violent ideology of ISIS within India”.
The probe agency also recovered “incriminating materials” related to Hijrah to Syria, along with ISIS propaganda magazines like ‘Voice of Hind’ and ‘Voice of Khurasan’.
Also, they had been sharing DIY (Do It Yourself) kits with their contacts, NIA alleged.
Two of these accused, Zulfikar Ali Barodawala and Aakif Ateeque Nachan, were earlier also chargesheeted in the Pune ISIS module case for fabrication of an improvised explosive device (IED) for triggering blasts.
The case was registered in June 2023 by the NIA following information received by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding an alleged conspiracy to “disturb the unity, integrity, security, and sovereignty of the country, and to wage a war against the Government of India by promoting the terrorist activities of ISIS”.
Tune In
About Post Author
