The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches at 21 locations across Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The coordinated raids were part of an ongoing probe into an ISIS-linked terror conspiracy case, where attempts were being made to recruit men and mobilise resources for jihadi activities in India.
During the operation, NIA teams, along with state police units, detained a 35-year-old man from Mumbai’s Kurla circle near Kasaiwada. Identified as Mohammed Akhlque Mujahid, he was questioned for hours over his digital activities and alleged links to ISIS propaganda networks. Investigators found that Mujahid regularly followed social media accounts linked to proscribed terrorist outfits and sympathiser groups.
Although he was released after preliminary questioning, officials confirmed that his digital footprint, including phone records, encrypted chats, and online transactions, remains under scrutiny.
Officials revealed that the raids led to the seizure of multiple mobile phones, laptops, hard drives, and incriminatory documents. These devices are now being forensically examined to trace Mujahid’s communication with terror operatives and recruiters.
According to the NIA, Mujahid had allegedly conspired with associates in Pakistan and Syria to radicalise youth and create sleeper cells in India. He was reportedly working on expanding the network through encrypted online channels, offering logistical and ideological support to potential recruits.
The case, which originated in Tamil Nadu’s Chengalpattu district, was initially registered by the Kayar police before being transferred to the NIA in June 2025 under case number RC-01/2025/NIA/CHE. The federal agency is examining travel histories, foreign links, and suspicious financial transactions connected to the accused.
Investigators suspect that Mujahid’s activities were not isolated but part of a larger web of radicalisation and recruitment targeting vulnerable youth across states. While no formal arrests were made during Monday’s operation, several individuals were detained for questioning, and their devices were seized for further analysis.
Officials confirmed that suspected recruits and sympathisers have been summoned to appear before the NIA for interrogation in the coming days.
The agency has intensified its efforts to dismantle the digital propaganda machinery of ISIS in India, which has emerged as a key recruitment tool for radical groups. “The investigation is ongoing, and further arrests are likely,” an NIA officer said, adding that the agency is working to identify the funding sources and external handlers linked to the conspiracy.
With India ramping up surveillance against online radicalisation, the latest raids underscore the government’s zero-tolerance policy against terror outfits seeking to destabilise the country through digital jihadist propaganda.
