Ahead of Independence Day, Man Linked With Pune ISIS Module Arrested With Weapons In Delhi

Ahead of Independence Day, Delhi Police’s special cell arrested a man linked with Pune ISIS module from the national capital.

Rizwan Ali, wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in its Pune ISIS module case, was picked up on charges of conspiracy and sabotage. The NIA had declared a reward of Rs 3 lakh against Rizwan and his alleged accomplices.

Rizwan, a second year drop out from Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia, had earlier attended de-radicalisation programme of Delhi Police. It is suspected that he and his aides Shahnawaz Alam, Talha Liyakat Khan and Abdulla Faiyaz Shaikh alias Daiperwala “fabricated an IED and carried out a controlled explosion in Kondhwa Pune”.

In its probe, the NIA found that the group of 11 were tasked with recruitment for the ISIS Pune module. The case was initially probed by Maharashtra ATS. Agencies claimed that explosive material, tents, a drone, several electronic devices were seized from the possession of the module members.

“The case relates to an ISIS conspiracy to spread terror by carrying out attacks at various places in Maharashtra, Gujarat and other parts of India, through IED fabrication training workshops and recce of jungles for firing practices and hideouts, besides raising terror funds by committing armed robberies and thefts,” the NIA said .

Police sources claimed that Ali had carried out a reccee of key installations in Delhi and also in Mumbai. “Weapons were also recovered from his possession,” police officials said.

The NIA is likely to seek custody of Rizwan and investigate his antecedents in both Daryaganj , Delhi and Kondhwa, Pune. In March this year, the agency ordered attachment of four immoveable properties as ‘proceeds of terrorism’ in the ISIS module case in Pune.

The properties allegedly belonged to Rizwan and 10 others who were chargesheeted. “Attached under Section 25 of the UA(P) Act, the properties are residential houses/flats, linked with accused Mohammed Imran Khan, Mohammed Yunus Saki, Mohammed Shahnawaz Alam, Md. Rizwan Ali, Kadir Dastagir Pathan, Simab Kazi, Zulfikar Ali Barodawala, Abdullah Faiyaz Shaikh, Talha Liyakat Khan, Shamil Nachan and Aakif Nachan,” NIA’s order said.