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Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
‘Bayath', DIY kits and bomb testing in Western Ghats: a look at ‘Pune ISIS module'
On June 28, 2025, high-profile terror operative Saquib Nachan, 66, who hailed from Padgha in Thane rural, died in judicial custody in Delhi. A former general secretary of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and a convict in multiple terror-related cases, Nachan was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in December 2023 for allegedly masterminding the ISIS terror modules in Maharashtra. According to the NIA, Nachan allegedly administered 'bayath' or the 'oath of allegiance to the ISIS Khalifa' to young recruits of the terror group. His son Shamil Nachan was arrested by the NIA in August 2023 in connection with the Pune ISIS module case. NIA has so far arrested 11 terror operatives in this case. The agency alleged that these terror operatives assembled and tested bombs in Pune, besides planning terror attacks in various cities across Maharashtra and Gujarat. The breakthrough: action suspecting vehicle theft During night patrolling duty on July 18, 2023, policemen Amol Najan and Pradip Chavan nabbed three suspects in Pune city's Kothrud area around 2.30 am on suspicion of vehicle theft. The suspects, identified as Mohammed Shahnawaz Alam alias Shafi alias Abdulla of Jharkhand, Mohammed Yusuf Khan, and Mohammed Yunus Mohammed Yakub Saki, both from Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh, were found to be residing in Pune's Kondhwa. While the police personnel were taking them for a house search in Kondhwa, Alam allegedly escaped, but was later arrested by the Delhi Police in October that year. Meanwhile, the house search led to the recovery of suspicious items like 'drone material', some white powder, a pistol pouch, and a live cartridge. Subsequently, a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against them at the Kothrud station under Indian Penal Code sections 468 (forgery), 379 (theft), 511 (offense punishable with imprisonment), and 34 (common intention), besides sections of the Indian Arms Act and the Maharashtra Police Act. The probe confirmed that Khan and Saki were members of the Al Sufa terrorist gang linked to ISIS. Both were 'most wanted' by the NIA in a case relating to the recovery of explosives from a car in Rajasthan in March 2022. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) then took over the probe from the Pune police on July 22. Forensic investigation confirmed that the white powder seized from the accused was an explosive substance. ATS invoked sections of the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against the accused for their alleged involvement in terrorist activities, while posing as 'graphic designers' in Pune. ATS also claimed to have recovered bomb-making material such as 'chemical powder, charcoal, thermometer, dropper, soldering gun, multimeter, small bulbs, batteries, alarm clock,' from the accused. ATS arrested a few more suspects, including Abdul Kadir Pathan, an IT engineer S N Kazi for allegedly providing shelter and funds. ATS also seized maps, Urdu and Arabic literature, and retrieved about 500 GB of data from the electronic devices of the accused, which carried images of various locations in Pune and other areas, including the Chabad house in Mumbai. NIA takes over probe On June 23, 2023, the NIA registered the 'Maharashtra ISIS terror module case' and arrested six people: Tabish Nasser Siddiqui from Mumbai, Zubair Noor Mohammed Shaikh alias Abu Nusaiba and Dr Adnan Ali Sarkar from Pune, Sharjeel Shaikh, Zulfikar Ali Barodawala, and Aakif Ateeque Nachan from Padgha in Thane. The probe revealed that Aakif Nachan and Barodawala worked 'in collaboration' with the ATS case suspects. ATS took Barodawala into custody on August 1, 2023, suspecting him to be the 'handler' of Khan, Saki and Pathan. But considering the common links, the NIA then took over the probe from ATS on August 7 and named it the Pune ISIS Module case. Investigations revealed that Barodawala was a key accused, who along with his associates, played a role in raising the ISIS Sleeper Cell in Maharashtra. The probe revealed that Barodawala resided in Kondhwa between 2017 and 2022. He allegedly trained Khan, Saki and Alam in making bombs at their Kondhwa house. ATS alleged that they tested the bombs at a secluded spot in the Ghat section in Pune, along with certain locations in the forest areas of Satara and Kolhapur. As per a press release by NIA, Barodawala and his associates even 'shared relevant material, including 'Do It Yourself kits (DIY)' among themselves for the fabrication of IEDs and manufacture of small weapons, pistols…' 11 accused chargesheeted In November 2023, the NIA chargesheeted seven accused, including Khan, Saki, Pathan, Kazi, Barodawala, Akif Nachan and Shamil Nachan in the Pune ISIS Module case. Further, in March 2024, a chargesheet was filed against Alam and three wanted accused: Rizwan Ali of Delhi, Abdulla Faiyaz Shaikh alias Daiperwala, and Talha Liyakat Khan of Kondhwa, Pune. Meanwhile, Rizwan Ali was arrested by the Delhi Police's Special Cell in August 2024. NIA took his custody this month for investigation. Before that, in May this year, NIA arrested Abdulla Shaikh and Talha, after they 'were intercepted by the Bureau of Immigration at the Mumbai International Airport' when they returned to India from Jakarta, Indonesia, where they had been 'hiding out.' The probe revealed that Rizwan got involved in ISIS after being radicalised through social media. In 2017, he befriended Alam, who came to Delhi from Jharkhand for studies. In 2022, the duo came in touch with Khan and Saki. All four were indoctrinated to join the ISIS operations. NIA alleged that the accused had recced the areas of Western Ghats for potential hideouts. The agency also claimed to have recovered handwritten notes taken by the accused at the time of their IED fabrication training in Pune. A drone, clothes, and a knife used during the 'bayath' (oath), taken in the name of the Khalifa of ISIS, were also recovered, the NIA stated. Chandan Haygunde is an assistant editor with The Indian Express with 15 + years of experience in covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has been associated with The Indian Express since 2007. Chandan has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the 'Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation' in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He has done in-depth reporting on the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and hearings of the 'Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry'. ... Read More Sushant Kulkarni is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express in Pune with 12+ years of experience covering issues related to Crime, Defence, Internal Security and Courts. He has been associated with the Indian Express since July 2010. Sushant has extensively reported on law and order issues of Pune and surrounding area, Cyber crime, narcotics trade and terrorism. His coverage in the Defence beat includes operational aspects of the three services, the defence research and development and issues related to key defence establishments. He has covered several sensitive cases in the courts at Pune. Sushant is an avid photographer, plays harmonica and loves cooking. ... Read More
Hans India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Kula Nirmulana Porata Samithi holds state-level meeting
Ongole: Arrestingthe democrats and agitators who are voicing for the oppressed people is a clear violation of fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India, observed Justice B Chandrakumar. The Kula Nirmulana Porata Samithi organised a state-level meeting with a demand for the release of its president Duddu Prabhakar, who has been in prison in Chhattisgarh for the last two years, at Ambedkar Bhavan in Ongole on Saturday. Attending as the chief guest to the meeting, Justice Chandrakumar said that no one has the right to suppress the constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights, including the right to speak, the right to question, and the right to live. He said that the public has the right to dissent from the government, and it is undemocratic to arrest the leaders and workers who are working for the rights and aspirations of the public. Another speaker, former Additional Advocate General of Andhra Pradesh, A Sathya Prasad, said that enforcing the laws made during the British Raj on the citizens of the country is nothing but cruel. The enforcement of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) like acts is strangling the voices of the public. He said that the government must protect the constitutional systems and not use force on the people questioning the systems. He stated that it is disheartening that the bail application of Duddu Prabhakar was rejected citing the sections of the UAPA. Veekshanam Editor N Venugopal said that the government is waging a war on its people and resorting to atrocities on them, the natives of Chhattisgarh, in the name of 'Operation Kagar', to hand over the forest, full of natural resources and assets, to corporate forces. The Communist Party of India AP Secretary K Ramakrishna said that after the Bharatiya Janata Party came into power, the opposition party leaders are branded as Urban Naxals, and are being silenced by force. He said that the BJP won't be in power for long in a democracy. The KNPS AP vice president, M Krishnaiah, and assistant secretary Duddu Venkatrao, presided over the meeting while ViRaSam leader G Kalyanarao, New Democracy leader Chittipati Venkateswarlu, Chenetha Karmika Samakhya leader Macharla Mohan Rao, Praja Kalamandali state secretary J Koti, and others participated in it.
Scroll.in
5 days ago
- Politics
- Scroll.in
US designates TRF, which claimed responsibility for Pahalgam attack, as terror group
The United States on Thursday designated The Resistance Front, which claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, as a foreign terror group. The US State Department said that it had added TRF to its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists. TRF is an affiliate of the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, according to the Indian government. Lashkar-e-Taiba and all its affiliates, including TRF, are designated terror outfits in India under the 1967 Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. The terror attack at Baisaran near Pahalgam town in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22 left 26 persons dead and 16 injured. The terrorists targeted tourists after asking their names to ascertain their religion, the police said. All but three of those killed were Hindu. On May 7, New Delhi had said that TRF had claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack. The US State Department said that besides Pahalgam, TRF had claimed responsibility for several terror attacks against Indian security forces, including most recently in 2024. 'These actions taken by the Department of State demonstrates the Trump administration's commitment to protecting our national security interests, countering terrorism and enforcing President [Donald] Trump's call for justice for the Pahalgam attack,' the department said. The US also maintained the foreign terror group designation given to the Lashkar-e-Taiba. In response to the Pahalgam attack, India on May 7 launched military strikes – codenamed Operation Sindoor – on what New Delhi claimed were terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. India had exercised its right to retaliate responsibly to the Pahalgam attack, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had said, adding that there were indications of further impending attacks against the country. Misri had said that the Pahalgam attack was driven by the terrorists' objective to disrupt normalcy returning to Jammu and Kashmir and hurt the booming tourism industry. The attack was also aimed at provoking communal discord in India, he added. The foreign secretary said that Pakistan had not taken clear steps to act against terrorists in its territory and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The Pakistani military had retaliated to Indian strikes by repeatedly shelling Indian villages along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. At least 22 Indian civilians and eight defence personnel were killed. On May 10, India and Pakistan reached an 'understanding' to halt firing following a four-day conflict.
Scroll.in
6 days ago
- Politics
- Scroll.in
SC refuses to lift stay on ‘Udaipur Files' release, asks Centre to review film by July 21
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to lift the stay on the release of the Hindi film Udaipur Files, which is reportedly based on the 2022 killing of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal, Bar and Bench reported. The film was scheduled to be released on July 11. The Delhi High Court had stayed the release on June 10 and directed the Union government to examine the film's content. On Wednesday, a Supreme Court bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymala Bagchi said that it expected the Union government to take its decision ' immediately, without loss of time ', reported Live Law. The bench added that it would await the outcome of the government's review and listed the matter for further hearing on July 21. In June 2022, Lal, a tailor, was killed in Rajasthan's Udaipur for purportedly sharing a social media post in support of suspended Bharatiya Janata Party Spokesperson Nupur Sharma. She had made disparaging remarks about Prophet Muhammad during a television debate in May 2022. The assailants and several other persons accused in the matter were arrested by the Rajasthan Police. A video showed two men claiming responsibility for the killing of Lal as they brandished the cleavers used in the murder. The murder case was investigated by the National Investigation Agency and the persons accused in the matter were charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. The trial is underway in a Special NIA Court in Jaipur. The High Court had stayed the release of Udaipur Files while hearing a batch of petitions, including one filed by Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind chief Maulana Arshad Madani, seeking a ban on the film. The petitioners had alleged that the film is communally provocative and vilifies the Muslim community A day before the order, the Supreme Court had heard a writ petition filed by Mohammed Javed, one of the eight persons accused in the murder case. Javed argued that the release of the film would violate his right to a fair trial. He had sought that the release of the film be postponed until the trial in the matter concluded. The petitioner also argued that the film, based on its trailer, appeared to be communally provocative. In response, the Supreme Court said that the petition could be mentioned before the appropriate bench when the Supreme Court reopened on July 14 after the summer break. It added that the movie could be released in the meantime.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
SC defers hearing till July 21 on film ‘Udaipur Files', asks filmmakers to await Centre's decision
The Supreme Court on Wednesday deferred for July 21 hearing on the film 'Udaipur Files – Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder', and asked the filmmakers to await a decision of the panel appointed by the Centre to hear objections against the movie. The panel is scheduled to meet at 2:30 pm on Wednesday. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi told the filmmakers that the accused in the Kanhaiya Lal tailor murder case can't be compensated for the loss of reputation if the film is released but the filmmakers can be in monetary terms. The filmmakers had challenged the Delhi High Court order staying the release of the movie. The bench asked the Centre's committee to take a decision immediately without loss of time after hearing all the parties. It also directed the panel to accord hearing to the accused in the murder case. The film was scheduled to be released on July 11. On July 10, the Delhi High Court stayed the release till the Centre decides on pleas seeking a permanent ban over the film's potential to 'promote disharmony' in society. The petitions, including one filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind president and Darul Uloom Deoband principal Maulana Arshad Madani before the high court, claims that a trailer of the movie released on June 26 was replete with dialogues and instances that had led to communal disharmony in 2022, and carries every potential to stoke the same sentiments again. Udaipur-based tailor Kanhaiya Lal was murdered in June 2022 allegedly by Mohammad Riyaz and Mohammad Ghous. The assailants later released a video claiming that the murder was in reaction to the tailor allegedly sharing a social media post in support of former BJP leader Nupur Sharma following her controversial comments on Prophet Mohammed. The case was probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the accused were booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, besides provisions under the Indian Penal Code. The trial is pending before the special NIA court in Jaipur.
