NIA files charge sheet against 8 suspected of carrying out ISIS-related activities in India

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday filed a charge sheet against eight people suspected of being members of ISIS and their involvement in the Conspiracy to carry out terror acts in furtherance of the activities of the terrorist organization. 

 The charge-sheet by the NIA has been filed under sections 121, 121-A, 122 & 123 of the IPC, Sections 17, 18, 18A, 18B, 23 & 38 of the UA (P) Act, 1967, Sections 3, 25 and 35 of Arms Act and Sections 4/5 of Explosive Substance Act, 1908.

The case was initially registered by ATS, Uttar Pradesh. 

The accused persons who have been charge-sheeted are:

i)   Mohammad Faisal R/o Kanpur Nagar, Uttar Pradesh

ii)  Gauss Mohammad Khan R/o Kanpur Nagar, Uttar Pradesh.

iii) Mohammad Azhar R/o Kanpur Nagar, Uttar Pradesh.

iv) Atif Muzaffar R/o Kanpur Nagar, Uttar Pradesh.

v)  Mohammad Danish R/o Kanpur Nagar, Uttar Pradesh.

vi) Sayed Meer R/o Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh.

vii) Asif Iqbal R/o Kanpur Nagar, Uttar Pradesh.

viii)Mohammad Atif R/o Kanpur Nagar, Uttar Pradesh.

Action against the accused Saifullah R/o Kanpur Nagar, Uttar Pradesh is abated since he is dead.

Read | NIA files charge sheet against 4 accused in Bhopal-Ujjain train blast case, find links to ISIS

Investigation brought out that accused persons took Bay’th (oath of allegiance) to the ISIS, hatched a criminal conspiracy with intention to further the terrorist activities, recruited persons, raised funds, organized terrorist camp and carried out terrorist acts, an official statement said.

The accused propagated the ideology of the ISIS to attract, motivate and recruit youths in the ISIS for carrying out terrorist acts, it said. 

The accused visited various border areas in India to migrate to ISIS held territories in Iraq-Syria, but having failed there, they procured arms, ammunition and explosives to carry out terrorist acts in India and planned for targeting non-Muslims / Muslims scholars of other Sects and religious places within India. 

Their hideouts in Lucknow as busted and the IED materials alongwith incriminating articles were recovered.  

During the police operation by the UP ATS, one Saifulla was killed. 

Interrogation revealed that accused Mohammad Faisal, Atif Muzzafar along with Saifulla had earlier killed Ramesh Chandra Shukla of Kanpur Nagar on Oct 24 last year in Kanpur. 

Further, accused persons conducted reconnaissance of Sufi shrine Dewa Sharif in Barabanki and other religious places for planting IEDs. The accused persons, to further the terrorist activities of the ISIS established terrorist camps at Lucknow. 

Atif Muzzafar, Mohammad Danish and Sayed Meer travelled to Bhopal and planted an IED in a general compartment of Bhopal-Ujjain Train on 07.03.2017.