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New IS module: NIA detains 4 after raids at 7 places in UP, Punjab

NIA teams along with the police conduct raids in Garhmukteshwar area of Hapur district, Kaloli village in Bulandshahar district, Battkheri village in Amroha district, Rampur, Jasora and Ajnera villages of Meerut district

Statesman News Service | Meerut | January 17, 2019 5:33 pm

New IS module: NIA detains 4 after raids at 7 places in UP, Punjab

On December 26, NIA arrested five members of the ISIS-inspired outfit from Amroha in UP. (Photo: IANS)

Teams of the National Investigation Agency raided five places in Uttar Pradesh and two in Punjab on Thursday as part of its probe into a new IS module and detained four persons, officials said. These raids were reportedly carried out in connection with alleged terrorist activities being planned by the new Islamic State-inspired module Harkat-ul-Harb-e-Islam.

NIA Inspector General Alok Mittal said searches were carried out at 7 places in western UP and Punjab on Thursday morning. One of those arrested is a Maulvi from Ludhiana.

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The NIA teams along with the police conducted raids in Garhmukteshwar area of Hapur district, Kaloli village in Bulandshahar district, Battkheri village in Amroha district, Rampur, Jasora and Ajnera villages of Meerut district.

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Three persons were reportedly detained for interrogation in Hapur district, though the Hapur Superintendent of Police Sankalp Sharma denied it  He however confirmed the raids following “vital information” from Naeem who was arrested from Meerut on charges of supplying pistol to this new IS module.

The Hapur police gave backup support to the NIA teams and accompanied them through out the raids, said the SP.

Another team raided Kaloli village in Bulandshahar district from where Habib, a grocery shop owner, was detained . Habib returned to his village some time back from Saudi Arabia where he had spent many years of his life.

Raids were also conducted in Jasora and Ajnera villages of Mundali police station in Meerut.

In Ludhiana, the maulvi was detained from Madhini mosque on Rahon road. According to reports, he was identified as Mohammed Owais.

On January 10, NIA had arrested Mohammed Absar of Jasora village who was a teacher in Jamia Hasania Abul Hasan Madarsa in Piplera village of Hapur district. His maternal uncle lives in Ajnera village. It could be due to this connection that the NIA conducted raids in the two villages.

The teams also raided the house of one Zubair in Battkheri village of Amroha but he managed to escape.

Prior to this, Naeem of Rardhana village in Meerut district was arrested on charges of supplying pistol to Iftekhar Saqib of Vaith village in Hapur. It was Iftekhar who told the NIA about Naeem and Absar. Absar and Iftekhar had reportedly visited different locations in Jammu and Kashmir thrice between May and August and are charged with being involved in terror plots.

On December 26, NIA had arrested five members of the ISIS-inspired outfit from Amroha.

(With agency inputs)

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# India

The Kerala High Court, on Thursday, granted bail to M K Nasar, one of the individuals convicted by the special NIA court last year in the case of chopping the hands of Professor T J Joseph in 2010. A division bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan and Justice P V Balakrishnan suspended Nasar’s sentence and granted conditional bail to him after considering his appeal against the NIA court’s conviction in the case Considering the prolonged detention and citing the potential for trial delays, the court suspended Nasar’s sentence and granted conditional bail, taking into account that some co-accused with similar allegations had already been released after serving shorter terms. The court noted that he had already spent nine years in jail and that delays in resolving appeals could justify suspending a convict’s prison term. It also observed that other accused in the case had received lesser sentences and had already been released after serving their terms. “The applicant has been undergoing incarceration, at the pre-conviction and post-conviction phases, for over 9 years. Furthermore, the fact that the accused facing the same allegations were earlier imposed a lesser term of imprisonment and have been released after having undergone the sentence is a factor that cannot be ignored. Additionally, the appeals filed by the NIA against the findings of the learned Sessions Judge are being considered in separate appeals, which have not yet been taken up. “There is also the likelihood of delay, as the prime accused has surrendered, and the learned Sessions Judge may have to take up the trial and dispose of it in accordance with the law and some of the original records may be required for that purpose. In view of these facts and circumstances, we are of the considered opinion that the sentence imposed on the applicant can be suspended pending the consideration of the appeal.” The court said The court, however, imposed strict conditions for Nasar’s bail. He is not supposed to provide a bond of Rs 1 lakh with two sureties, refrain from leaving the country without the court’s permission, avoid interfering with the trial or witnesses, and not commit similar offences while on bail The gruesome incident dates back to July 4, 2010, when Joseph, a professor at Newman College, Thodupuzha, was returning from Sunday mass with his family, members of the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI) attacked him, allegedly in retaliation for a question paper he set, which contained a passage that they claimed insulted Prophet Mohammed was derogatory. His right hand was chopped off in this attack. Nasar was accused of playing a critical role in the attack. Investigations revealed his involvement in recruiting gang members, assigning specific tasks, collecting funds, procuring communication devices, and maintaining communication links with key conspirators.

The Kerala High Court, on Thursday, granted bail to M K Nasar, one of the individuals convicted by the special NIA court last year in the case of chopping the hands of Professor T J Joseph in 2010.