The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two key accused in the Tamil Nadu Hizb ut-Tahrir (HuT) case. The arrested individuals, identified as Kabeer Ahmed Aliyar and Bava Bahrudeen @ Mannai Bava, were allegedly involved in propagating HuT’s radical ideology through secret gatherings and exhibitions designed to promote violent jihad.
An NIA official said, “Our investigation has revealed that the accused, identified as Kabeer Ahmed Aliyar and Bava Bahrudeen @ Mannai Bava, had conspired with others to propagate the HuT ideology of by conducting secret bayaans. They were also involved in organising an exhibition to showcase the military might of Islamic nations that would be invited (Nussrah) to overthrow the Indian government; established by law; by waging violent jihad and war.”
NIA Arrests 2 Key Accused in Tamil Nadu Hizb-Ut-Tahrir Case pic.twitter.com/2SI8HYHMsa
— NIA India (@NIA_India) February 3, 2025
“NIA, which had registered the case RC 01/2024/NIA/CHE against sİx accused persons, had further found during investigations that the accused were influenced by extremist; radical and fundamental ideology of HuT, an international pan-Islamist and fundamentalist organization which is working to re-establish Islamic caliphate and enforce the constitution written by the outfit’s founder Taqi al-Din al-Nabhani,” press note explained.
தீவிரவாதிக்கு இறுதி ஊர்வலம் போக அனுமதி கொடுத்து அவன ஹீரோவா காமிச்சா தீவிரவாதம் வளராம மயிரா வளரும்.?? 🤧 pic.twitter.com/2j8ecdT8SO
— Sanghi Prince 🚩 (@SanghiPrince) February 3, 2025
NIA conducted raids at multiple locations across Tamil Nadu on Monday, 3 February 2025, including the residence of Baba Fakruddin (38) on Asath Street, Mannargudi, Tiruvarur district. It had previously raided his home in 2022 as part of an earlier investigation. In addition to the Mannargudi raid, NIA teams also carried out searches at more than six locations, including Chennai and Kancheepuram.
In December last year, NIA filed a charge sheet before the NIA Special Court, Poonamallee, Chennai. It stated, “In the charge sheet, Abdul Rehman @ Abdul Rahman and Mujibur Rehman @ Mujibur Rahman Altham Sahib have been charged under various sections of the IPC and UA(P) Act for conspiring and preparing to undertake terrorist acts to promote the HuT ideology in Tamil Nadu and other places.”
Tamil Nadu: NIA charges two in Hizb-ut-Tahrir terror case; Conspiracy hatched to overthrow Indian Government#TamilNadu #NIA https://t.co/nRIo15VMLi
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) December 26, 2024
NIA chargesheets an ISIS operative in Madurai Hizb-ut-Tahrir Case pic.twitter.com/rXDSKnNCG6
— NIA India (@NIA_India) May 29, 2021
Earlier, six individuals were detained by the Chennai Cyber Crime Police under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for recruiting for HuT in Royapettah. NIA had previously stated, “Dr. Hameed, a resident of Royapettah in Chennai, is suspected of being the chief coordinator of the organization and had allegedly been holding secret meetings to spread its ideology at a hall in the city. He used his YouTube channel, ‘Dr. Hameed Hussain Talks,’ from Royapettah and formed the Modern Essential Educational Trust to impart training on terror activities.”
Tamil Nadu: Six detained in Chennai for alleged recruitment for banned terrorist organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir https://t.co/1pY7eNZfRT
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) August 7, 2024
In November this year, the special court handling NIA cases in Poonamallee, Chennai, sentenced Abdullah alias Saravana Kumar to five years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs. 10,000 for promoting the divisive and violent ideology of the terrorist outfit.
Tamil Nadu: NIA court sentences Hizb-ut-Tahrir’s Abdullah to 5 years of imprisonment for promoting terrorism https://t.co/vPsS2di9wQ
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) November 13, 2024
On October 9, 2024, the NIA arrested Faizul Rahman, identified as the Nakib (State Amir) of HuT for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. He was the seventh individual apprehended in connection with the HuT case in Tamil Nadu.
These arrests come in the wake of the Government of India’s decision to ban HuT in October 2024 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. “In October 2024, the Government of India issued a Gazette Notification formally banning Hizb ut-Tahrir and its affiliated organizations under the UA(P) Act,” the spokesperson confirmed.
The NIA has been actively pursuing HuT operatives since at least 2022. NIA said, “We remain committed to dismantling any remaining networks linked to this banned outfit,” adding that further arrests are likely as the agency deepens its probe into HuT’s operations in India.
With multiple investigations by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into Hizb ut-Tahrir (HuT), the Intelligence Bureau has identified several states where the outfit has gained significant strength. These states include Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana.
Making South India their playground: Hizb-ut-Tahrir seeks to establish Dawah Squads in large numbers via @eOrganiser https://t.co/cqu2ThCcVq
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) November 13, 2024
HuT’s activities have been predominantly concentrated in the southern states, where certain governments have faced criticism for their perceived leniency toward radical elements.
