Maharashtra ISIS module case: NIA arrests man from Thane district; 7 in custody so far

NIA logo. Pic/ official Twitter account

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday arrested a man from the neighbouring Thane district in connection with the Maharashtra ISIS module case, for promoting violent activities of the proscribed terrorist outfit, the probe agency said in a statement, according to the PTI.

With the latest arrest, the NIA has apprehended seven persons in the case so far.

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The man, Shamil Saquib Nachan, was arrested following raids at his residence in Padgha area of the district, the statement said, as per the PTI.

According to the probe agency, Nachan was allegedly actively involved in promoting terrorist activities of the designated foreign terrorist organisation, reported the PTI.

He was involved in fabrication, training and testing of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) for commission of terrorist acts, the NIA claimed.

Nachan had been working in collaboration with the other six accused Zulfikar Ali Barodawala, Mohammed Imran Khan, Mohammed Yunus Saki, Simab Nasiruddin Kazi, Abdul Kadir Pathan and Aakif Ateeque Nachan, along with some other suspects, it stated.

Khan and Saki were members of the 'Sufa terrorist gang' and had been declared 'most wanted' by the NIA in a case relating to the recovery of explosives from a car in Rajasthan in April 2022.

As per the statement, these members of an ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) sleeper module, including Shamil, were operating from a house in Kondhwa, Pune, where they assembled IEDs and organised and participated in a bomb training and making workshop last year.

The accused had also carried out a controlled explosion at this location to test an IED fabricated by them, it said.

Investigations by the NIA into the case have revealed that the accused planned to commit terrorist acts with the aim to disturb peace and communal harmony of the country, it stated.

They had planned to wage a war against the Government of India in furtherance of the ISIS agenda, the probe agency stated.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, a special court remanded five persons, arrested in connection with the Maharashtra ISIS module to National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody till August 14.

The NIA has taken over the probe into the ISIS module case from the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).

(with PTI inputs)