NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) announced that it has arrested two absconding operatives linked to the banned terrorist outfit Islamic State (ISIS) involved in the 2023 terror conspiracy case. These operatives were part of a sleeper cell module engaged in fabricating and testing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Pune, Maharashtra.A senior NIA official said, “The accused, Abdullah Faiyaz Shaikh alias Diaperwala, and Talha Khan, were intercepted at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Terminal 2 by the Bureau of Immigration. The duo had been hiding in Jakarta, Indonesia, and were taken into custody by the agency upon their arrival.”He said that the two had been on the run for over two years and were wanted in connection with the case, as non-bailable warrants had been issued against them by the NIA Special Court in Mumbai, and a cash reward of Rs 3 lakh each was announced for information leading to their arrest.He said that the two were on the run for over two years, as non-bailable warrants had been issued against them by the NIA Special Court in Mumbai. A reward of Rs 3 lakh each was announced for information which led to their arrest.The official said the case pertains to a larger conspiracy by ten individuals, including the two recently arrested, to carry out terrorist activities and wage war against the Government of India.“They had conspired to commit terrorist acts to disturb India’s peace and communal harmony by waging a war against the Government of India in furtherance of the ISIS agenda to establish Islamic rule in the country through violence and terror,” he said.Abdullah Faiyaz Shaikh had rented a house in Kondhwa, Pune, which was used as a hub for assembling IEDs. The official added that during 2022 and 2023 the accused not only fabricated IEDs but also conducted training workshops in bomb making and even carried out a controlled explosion to test one of their devices.The NIA has already filed a chargesheet against all ten accused under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Explosive Substances Act, the Arms Act, and the Indian Penal Code in this case.In addition to Abdullah Faiyaz Shaikh and Talha Khan, the other eight accused currently in judicial custody include Mohammed Imran Khan, Mohammed Yunus Saki, Abdul Kadir Pathan, Simab Nasiruddin Kazi, Zulfikar Ali Barodawala, Shamil Nachan, Akif Nachan, and Shahnawaz Alam.
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