The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two wanted accused persons, including the kingpin, in connection with the seizure of explosives and other bomb-making materials in Chittorgarh of Rajasthan in 2022, as part of the probe into an ISIS-inspired conspiracy of the “Sufa” terrorist outfit.
They have been identified as Mohammad Yunus Saki and Imran Khan, both residents of Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh. The agency expects their arrest to establish missing links in the case and identify more ISIS-inspired modules and their members.
The NIA has alleged that Yunus Saki and “mastermind” Imran Khan were actively engaged in spreading the ISIS ideology before they were arrested in Maharashtra. The agency had earlier seized explosives and various components used in the fabrication of bombs from the possession of an accused wanted in the case.
“Investigations subsequently revealed that the two men had procured the materials and substances for fabricating the Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) with the intent of spreading terror and mayhem in Rajasthan and elsewhere in India,” it said on Tuesday, adding that the two accused were highly trained in IED configuration.
They were also allegedly involved in training their co-accused in making such devices at the poultry farm of the mastermind, Imran Khan. The said poultry farm had been attached by the NIA last month. After they fled to Mumbai and subsequently settled in Pune, they had organised at least two IED training and fabrication workshops there last year.
Imran Khan and 10 other accused persons were chargesheeted in the case by the NIA in September last year.
