Maharashtra ISIS Module Case: NIA Nabs 1 Suspect, Total Arrests Go Up To 5

In a major breakthrough in the ISIS Maharashtra module case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday arrested another person for promoting violent activities of the proscribed terrorist outfit.

Dr Adnanali Sarkar (43) was arrested following raids from Kondhwa, Pune. The NIA seized several incriminating materials, such as electronic gadgets and several documents related to the ISIS, during searches at Sarkar’s Kondhwa house. The material exposed the accused’s allegiance with the ISIS and his role in promoting the outfit’s violent agenda by motivating and recruiting vulnerable youth.

Furthering ISIS activities

The accused had hatched a conspiracy to further ISIS terrorist activities, known by different names such as Islamic State (IS)/Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL)/Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)/Daish/Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP)/ISIS Wilayat Khorasan/Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham Khorasan (ISIS-K).

Sarkar was trying to disturb the unity, integrity, security and sovereignty of the country, and wage a war against the Government of India as part of the ISIS conspiracy through the organisation’s ‘Maharashtra ISIS module’, as per NIA investigations.

Arrest total goes to 5

This is the fifth arrest in the case, which the NIA had registered on June 28, 2023. Four others were arrested by NIA in Mumbai on July 3, 2023 after extensive searches in Mumbai, Thane and Pune. They were identified as Tabish Nasser Siddiqui from Mumbai, Zubair Noor Mohammed Shaikh @ Abu Nusaiba from Pune, and Sharjeel Shaikh and Zulfikar Ali Barodawala from Thane.

The agency will continue to probe the Maharashtra ISIS module case to unravel all the full contours of the ISIS conspiracy.