NIA files chargesheet against two terrorists in Kolkata ISIS case

New Delhi, July 8

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday filed a chargesheet against two hardcore ISIS members involved in promoting the proscribed organisation’s terrorist activities.

The NIA filed the chargesheet against the accused, identified as Md. Saddam and Abdul Rakib Qureshi in the ISIS STF Kolkata case before the NIA Court in Kolkata. They have been chargesheeted under UA(P)A and relevant sections of IPC.

The duo were arrested by STF Kolkata on 6th January this year for hatching a conspiracy against the Government of India by collecting arms & ammunition as well as explosives, and recruiting Muslim youth for carrying out terrorist activities for the ISIS in India and abroad. The STF Kolkata had initially registered an FIR and NIA had taken over the case a month later, on 6th February. 

A large quantity of incriminating material, used for propaganda and radicalisation on behalf of ISIS, was seized from the two accused. They had been using this material to recruit and train impressionable Muslim youth into the ISIS fold, as the investigations by NIA have revealed. Abdul Rakib Qureshi was also convicted earlier for life in a UA(P)A case for his acts of terror and association with SIMI, another proscribed organisation. 

According to the NIA, two men had knowingly associated themselves with the ISIS with the intent to further its activities. Md. Saddam entered into a criminal conspiracy with Abdul Rakib Qureshi to recruit people, target prominent personalities and also to send the recruits abroad for executing ISIS led terror actions & activities. The duo used various encrypted social media platforms for communication, in order to hide their terror related activities and evade detection by the law enforcement agencies.