The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday submitted a chargesheet against three persons for their alleged involvement in the conspiracy, recruitment, fabrication of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and fundraising for the Borivali-Padgha module of the banned Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
The agency has identified the accused persons as Mohammad Rizwan Ashraf of Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), Mohammed Arshad Warsi of Dehradun (Uttarakhand), and Mohammed Shahnawaz Alam of Hazaribagh (Jharkhand).
In the “Borivali-Padgha” ISIS terror module case, the agency had earlier seized articles purportedly related to manufacturing of explosives and fabrication of IEDs, along with propaganda magazines like Voice of Hind, Rumiyah, Khilafat, and Dabiq published by the outfit.
“Investigations had revealed that they had been sharing digital files related to fabrication of IEDs with their contacts. They were also found to be actively raising funds for their terror plans and designs for furtherance of the ISIS activities and promotion of its extremist and violent ideology... accused Mohammed Ashraf had taken bayath (pledge of allegiance) from another arrested accused Saquib Nachan aka Amir-e-Hind. Ashraf had, in turn, given bayath to the other accused as part of a bigger conspiracy to spread terror among the people,” the agency said.
The NIA said the chargesheet had exposed international linkages and involvement of foreign-based handlers of ISIS. The case was registered on November 6, 2023, against one Shahnawaz Alam and others in connection with the alleged conspiracy to carry out terrorist activities on the directions of ISIS handlers.