Lagatar24 Desk
Ahmedabad: In a major counter-terror operation, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested four individuals associated with the terror organization Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). According to the FIR, the ATS has invoked stringent sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the accused.
Two of the suspects were presented in court and have been remanded to 14 days in custody, while the other two are expected to appear in court tomorrow.
ATS received critical intel from social media monitoring
DIG Sunil Joshi of Gujarat ATS revealed that Deputy SP Harsh Upadhyay received intelligence on June 10 regarding five Instagram accounts promoting Al-Qaeda’s extremist ideology in India. These accounts were allegedly spreading anti-national content and propaganda against democracy. A technical surveillance team was formed to investigate further.
Following this, the identities of four suspects were confirmed:
Fardeen Shaikh from Ahmedabad
Mohammad Faik from Delhi
Zeeshan Ali from Noida
Saifullah Qureshi from Modasa
ATS found both their digital activity and offline behavior suspicious. “We examined a large volume of data from their phones. They were disseminating Al-Qaeda materials across India,” said DIG Joshi.
Weapons, extremist materials seized
A sword and Al-Qaeda-related documents were recovered from Fardeen’s possession. The group reportedly created various Instagram groups to spread jihadist ideology and called for the replacement of Indian democracy with Sharia law. Mohammad Faik was allegedly in contact with several Pakistani Instagram accounts that provided him with extremist materials.
Serious charges under UAPA and BNS
An FIR has been filed under the following sections:
UAPA: Sections 13 (unlawful activities), 18 (conspiracy), 38 & 39 (membership and support of a terrorist organization)
BNS: Sections 113, 152, 196, and 68
Saifullah and Fardeen were presented before the court today and were remanded to 14 days’ custody. Mohammad Faik and Zeeshan Ali will be produced in court tomorrow.
