Mumbai, Dec 9 (IANS) In an early morning swoop, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) teams raided at least 43 locations in Maharashtra, and one in Karnataka in the ongoing probe into the ISIS terror modules conspiracy case, and detained at least 15 persons, official sources said here.

A majority of the 41 locations where NIA teams descended are rural or semi-rural pockets of Thane district, Mira-Bhayander town, 2 in Pune, besides similar raids at one place in adjoining Karnataka.

The NIA is understood to have bared a deeper conspiracy with international ramifications and terror links, and the involvement of ISIS handlers based in foreign locations.

The probe has also unearthed a complex network of people engaged in propagating the ISIS terror ideology within India and luring youth to its fold.

The network has reportedly sworn allegiance to the self-proclaimed Caliph (head) of ISIS and was preparing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) to carry out terror acts in India through its operatives.

Among those detained from various locations are: Firoz Kuwar, Hasib Mulla, Musab Mulla, Rehan Suse, Farhan Suse, Adil Khot, Mukhlis Nachan, Raphail Nachan, Razeel Nachan, Shakib Nachan, Saif Atiq Nachan, Yahya khot, Shakub Divkar, Kasif Belare.

More raids and detentions or arrests are likely as the investigations progress in the state, the sources indicated.

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday carried out searches at over 15 locations in Punjab and Haryana in connection with its probe into the attack on the Indian Consulate in San Francisco in March this year by Khalistani supporters.

As part of the probe, the NIA on November 14 had requested for evidence from the US authorities under the mutual legal assistance treaty, according to agency sources.

The sources said that 45 faces zeroed in via CCTV footage scanning have been mostly identified through crowd sourcing.

On September 21, the NIA had released the pictures of 10 wanted accused in the March 2023 case of attack and vandalism at the Consulate and sought information about them from the general public.

The agency has also issued three separate “Request for Identification and Information” notices against the wanted accused, seeking any information of importance that could lead to their arrest or apprehension.

While two of the notices carry photographs of two accused each, the third shows pictures of the other six accused allegedly involved in the case.

The attack on the Indian Consulate in San Francisco had taken place in the intervening night of March 18 and 19 when some pro-khalistan entities trespassed into the mission and tried to burn it down.

On the same day, slogan-shouting Khalistani supporters had broken through the makeshift security barriers raised by the city police and put up two so-called Khalistani flags in the Consulate premises, damaged the building, assaulted and caused injuries to the officials.

In the intervening night of July 1 and 2, some accused persons had again trespassed into the Consulate and attempted to set it on fire while officials were inside the building.

The NIA had initiated a probe in the matter after registering a case on June 16 this year under several sections of IPC, UA (P) Act and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

An NIA team had visited San Francisco in August in connection with the agency's probe.

New Delhi, Nov 20 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday said that it has registered a fresh case against “listed individual terrorist” Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of the banned terror organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) over his latest viral video threatening the passengers flying on Air India with a global blockade and closure of the operations of the airline from November 19.

An NIA spokesperson here said that the agency has booked Pannun under several Sections of the IPC and of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The official said that Pannun, the self-proclaimed General Counsel’ of the outlawed SFJ, had issued a threatening video message on various social media platforms urging Sikhs not to fly on Air India planes on and after November 19 claiming threat to their lives if they flew on Air India.

Pannun also threatened that Air India would not be allowed to operate in the world.

Pannun’s assertions and threats have triggered a high alert as well as investigations by security forces in Canada, India and certain other countries where Air India flies.

In his video messages, released on November 4, Pannun had urged Sikhs to stop flying on Air India planes on and after November 19, citing potential threat to their lives.

Pannun also issued a warning to the Indian Government that, "The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) would remain closed on November 19".

The IGIA, located in New Delhi, is one of the world’s busiest airports. The official said that as part of his concerted plan to promote terror acts in India and revive terrorism here, Pannun has been creating a false narrative around the issues prevailing in Punjab, especially with regard to Sikh religion, by promoting enmity between the Sikhs in the country and other communities.

“The latest threat is in line with the same narrative, which Pannun has actively promoted in the past by threatening & attempting to disrupt essential transportation network systems, including the Railways, as well as Thermal Power Plants in India,” the official stated.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, on July 10 2019, banned SFJ as an ‘unlawful association’ under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for its activities.

On July 1, 2020, Pannun was listed as an ‘individual terrorist’ by the Indian Government. Pannun has been under the NIA’s lens since 2019, when the anti-terror agency registered its first case against him. In September 2023, the NIA had confiscated his share of the house and land of the listed terrorist in Amritsar (Punjab) and Chandigarh UT.

Non-Bailable Warrants of arrest were issued against Pannun by the NIA Special Court on February 3, 2021 and he was declared a ‘Proclaimed Offender (PO)' on November 29, 2022.

New Delhi, Oct 19 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday filed a supplementary charge sheet in the Special Court, Ahmedabad against jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi in a case involving the seizure of around 39 kg heroin by the Gujarat Police.

According to the statement issued by the NIA, the charge sheet has been filed under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) along with section 66C of the Information Technology (IT) Act. 

“Additionally, relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, along with various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, have been invoked in the charge sheet,” it said. 

This case initially began with the Ahmedabad Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) when it was registered on September 15, 2022. 

“Subsequently, the NIA took charge of the case, re-registering it on August 20 this year. The investigation in this case remains open,” it added. 

New Delhi, Oct 1 (IANS) In a major breakthrough, the Special Cell of Delhi Police has arrested Mohammad Shahnawaz Alam, a.k.a. Shafi Uzzama, who was on National Investigation Agency's (NIA) list of most-wanted terrorists, an official said on Monday.

The police have also arrested Shahnawaz's two associates and recovered incriminating materials from their possession, including those suspected to be used in IED fabrication.

According to the police, Shahnawaz was arrested from the Jaitpur area in the national capital.

"His associates -- Mohammad Rizwan Ashraf and Mohammad Arshad Warsi -- were arrested from Lucknow and Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, respectively," said the official. 

As per the police, the arrested trio holds engineering degrees. 

Based on initial questioning, the police said that the accused had conducted reconnaissance in multiple areas across western and southern India with the intention of establishing their base in the Western Ghats.

During investigation, the police also seized elementary plastic tubes, iron pipes, various chemicals, timing devices, and other materials that could potentially be used in the production of explosive devices from Shahnawaz's possession. 

A pistol and cartridges were also found from his possession, the police said.

The police revealed that they have also recovered literature related to bomb-making, suspected to have been sent by their handlers from across the border.

Earlier, the NIA had announced a reward of Rs 3 lakh for the capture of Shahnawaz for his alleged involvement in the Pune IS case.

Shahnawaz, who works as an engineer and is a resident of Delhi, had managed to escape from police custody in Pune. Subsequently, he had been living in the national capital. 

On September 30, the NIA had initiated a rigorous search operation in Central Delhi to locate three individuals with suspected links to the Islamic State.

New Delhi, Sep 23 (IANS) In a massive action against the banned terror organisation Sikh For Justice (SFJ) chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has confiscated two properties of Pannu.

"We have confiscated two properties of Pannu in Punjab's Amritsar and Chandigarh," an NIA official told IANS.  

The official said that the agency has confiscated properties of Pannu which include 46 Kanal of agricultural property in the ancestral village Khankot, located on the outskirts of Amritsar district.

The official also said that it has also confiscated his residential property in Sector 15 area of Chandigarh.

The agency sleuths also put the hoarding outside the property of Pannu informing him about the anti-terror probe agency's action.

After confiscation, Pannu lost rights to the property and the property now belongs to the government. In 2020, his properties were attached, which meant he could not sell the property.

SFJ, a fringe organisation, was declared unlawful under Section 3(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
The action against Pannu has been taken in connection with the NIA's case filed on April 5, 2020 under sections 120-B, 124-A, 153-A 153-B and 17, 18 and 19 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

The case relates to funding of terrorist activities in Punjab from abroad, creating disharmony among communities and radicalising youth for terrorist activities.

Bengaluru, June 29 (IANS) At a time when the NIA is all set to take a decisive action in the Praveen Kumar Nettaru murder case, sources said on Thursday that the accused may have taken shelter in Arab countries.

The NIA Special court has granted permission for seizure of residences and properties of the prime accused persons, Umar Farooq and Mustafa Paichar, both residents of Kallumutlu if they fail to surrender before June 30.

Abubaquar Siddique and Tuffail M.H., are also the prime accused. NIA has been trying to arrest them in connection with the murder. The agency had declared Rs 14 lakh reward for clues on these accused persons. The NIA had declared Rs 5 lakh bounty each on clues about Tuffail and Mohammad Mustafa. Umar Farooq and Abubaquar Siddiqui have Rs 2 lakh bounty on them.

Sources said that Tuffail was involved in communal violence that took place in Kodagu and was part of the assault team of Popular Front of India (PFI). The accused have settled in Arab nations after the case was handed over to the NIA.

They had escaped through Nepal with the help of members of terrorist organisations and sympathisers.

The NIA teams had gone to Nepal for the arrest of the accused and returned empty-handed after the accused managed to cross the border before the officers could reach them.

The NIA had announced that it will seize properties that belong to the two key accused in the Praveen Nettaru murder case in Karnataka if they failed to surrender before it by Friday. The NIA has also offered cash rewards for information about the whereabouts of the absconding accused persons -- Umar Farooq and Mustafa Paichar, both residents of Kallu Mutlu in Dakshina Kannada district.

Although the NIA has launched an all out operation in Karnataka and Kerala to nab them, the two have remained elusive since the brutal murder of the BJP Yuva Morcha activist on July 26, 2022.

The NIA authorities have also posted notices on the houses of the accused persons with regard to the seizure of their properties.

The probe agency had submitted evidence to an NIA court in Bengaluru and had sought consent for stringent action against the two accused persons.

On Wednesday, the court granted consent and released the order of confiscation of the properties of the two prime accused if they did not surrender by Friday. The order was given on Wednesday. Since it took over the case from the Karnataka Police, the NIA has submitted a 1,500-page charge sheet against 20 accused to the court and have arrested 14 persons and launched a hunt for six others who are absconding.

The charge sheet includes statements of 240 witnesses. The Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI) had given its ticket to Shafi Bellare, an accused in the murder case, in the recently held Assembly elections in Karnataka. The development had raised a debate in the state. He contested from jail, but lost.

Nettaru, a BJP Yuva Morcha activist,  was hacked to death at the height of the hijab crisis in the state on July 26, 2022 in Bellare. His murder led to revenge killings and a series of stabbing incidents.

New Delhi, June 12 (IANS) In the latest update on the attack on the High Commission of India in London by alleged Khalistani supporters, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) released five CCTV footages of the attack on Monday and sought help from the public to identify the culprits.

The attack on the Indian Embassy took place on March 19.

"The NIA requests all members of the public to provide any information regarding the individuals seen in the footage in the interest of public safety. Information can be provided on WhatsApp at +91 7290009373. The identity of the informant will be kept confidential," tweeted the NIA.

The Special Cell of the Delhi Police registered an FIR in connection with the protest staged by pro-Khalistani activists at the Indian High Commission in London on March 19, during which the Tricolour was pulled down from the premises.

The NIA took over the case after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs instructed the Delhi Police to take legal action.

The FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, and an investigation has been initiated.

The British Deputy High Commissioner was also summoned by the Indian government, demanding an explanation for the complete absence of security during the protest.

The British High Commissioner, Alex Ellis, described the incident as "disgraceful" and "totally unacceptable."

New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) The NIA is likely to grill gangster Lawrence Bishnoi in connection with the sensational murder case of Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf.

Sources in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said that they will grill him regarding the weapons used by the three murderers of Atiq and Ashraf.

"The killer used Zigana, the Turkey-made pistol to eliminate Atiq and Ashraf. It was the same weapon which was used to kill Punjabi singer Siddhu Singh Moosewala," said the sources.

The sources said that gangster Sundar Bhati also has connections with Lawrence Bishnoi and they are looking into this angle too.

Sunny, one of the killers of Atiq and Ashraf, used to call Bishnoi his role model.

Last year, the NIA lodged three separate FIRs (FIR no. 37, 38, 39). In FIR no. 37 the agency had mentioned about foreign based pro-Khalistan supporters who had been hatching a conspiracy to wage war against India and to create unrest in the country.

FIR no. 38 was lodged against Bambaiya Gang in which Neeraj Bawana, Kaushal Chaudhary and others were made the accused.

FIR no. 39 was lodged against Lawrence Bishnoi, Kala Jathedi, Kala Rana and their aides.

"Today Lawrence Bishnoi was produced before the NIA court in connection with FIR no 37. Recently, we held one Deepak in the case. Deepak was in touch with Bishnoi," the source said.

The sources said the gangsters have formed two 'Mahagathbandhans' to run their crime syndicates smoothly by creating a pan-India network.

In gangsters' Mahagathbandhan the group A is of Neeraj Bawana. "In Neeraj Bawana's Mahagatbandhan there are Saurabh alias Gaurav, Suvegh Singh alias Sibbu, Subham Baliyan, Rakesh alias Raka, Irfan alias Chhenu, Ravi Gangwal and Rohit Chaudhary and Davinder Bambiha Gang," the source said.

In Lawrence Bishnoi's group (team B), there is Sandeep alias Kala Jatehdi, Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu, Rohit Moi, Deepak Boxer, Prince Tewtia, Rajesh Bawania and Ashok Pradhan.

These two Mahagathbandhan gangsters have created havoc in many states and are also indulging in gang wars.

"If their teams have any connections with the Atiq and Ashraf murder case, we will share the entire operation with the UP Police," said the official.

In Surat, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been interrogating a youth named Mohammad Sohail from the Mughalisara area on suspicions of involvement in terrorist activities related to the Ghazwa-e-Hind organization. The NIA is actively monitoring anti-national activities and taking swift action against terrorist organizations or other groups engaged in such activities.

Sohail, a resident of Surat's Mughalisara area, was brought to the NIA's attention after being found in contact with the Ghazwa-e-Hind organization. The investigating agency suspects that he may be involved in anti-national activities. However, Sohail has not been arrested, and questioning continues.

The NIA has also investigated other youths in Surat and various districts of Gujarat in the past. Young individuals often interact with terrorist organizations through social media or other means, and sometimes post content to incite anti-national activities. The NIA maintains close surveillance on all such cases to prevent the spread of terrorism and related activities.

New Delhi, March 23 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is conducting raids at seven locations in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat in connection with the Ghazwa-e-hind case.

An NIA source told IANS that multiple teams have been formed to carry out the raids. While three places each in Nagpur and Gujarat are being raided, searches are on one location in Gwalior.

"This is the Ghazwa-e-hind case in which the accused planned to make India an Islamic state by 2047. We have seized a number of incriminating documents," the source said.

The NIA is yet to make any official comment in the matter.