NIA chargesheets 5 accused in Gujarat AQIS online radicalisation case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has chargesheeted five accused in a case relating to online radicalisation of vulnerable youth by the Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) terror group in Gujarat.

Mohammad Fardeen, Kureshi Sefulla, Mohammad Faique, Zeeshan Ali and Shama Parveen have been charged under various sections of UA(P) Act, BNS Act and Arms Act.

The NIA’s investigation in the case revealed that the accused used social media platforms to propagate, support and disseminate the anti-India ideologies of the banned AQIS.

They posted provocative posts, including videos, audios and photos, through various social media accounts.

NIA further found that, through these posts, the accused had called for armed revolt against the democratically elected Indian Government, and for the establishment of the Caliphate based on the Sharia law.

They also promoted the extremist ideologies of other proscribed terror organisations.

NIA had taken over the investigation from ATS Gujarat, which had seized various incriminating materials, in both paper and digital formats, along with deadly weapons like a semi-automatic pistol with cartridges and a sword from two of the five accused in the course of the investigation. The NIA during investigation further traced the digital footprints and identified incriminating posts strengthening the evidence against the accused.

As per the NIA findings, Mohammad Faique, a resident of Old Delhi, had played a pivotal role in the conspiracy by sharing radical posts and inciting content on Jihad, Ghazwa-E-Hind, and violence against a section of society.

He circulated excerpts from extremist and radical literature promoting the ideology of AQIS and JeM leaders through his Instagram account and also through a group specifically created for the purpose.

He further collaborated and conspired with other accused to spread the violent ideology and content widely.

Sheikh Mohammad Fardeen from Ahmedabad, Kureshi Sefulla from Modasa in Gujarat and Zeeshan Ali from Noida in Uttar Pradesh were found to have engaged actively and conspired to promote the radical content in form of audio, video and other posts promoting the banned terror outfits.

They had regularly liked, commented, and collaborated on posts inciting Jihad, Gazwa-E-Hind and rebellion against the democratically elected Indian government and advocated Khilafat and Sharia law.

The investigations further revealed that Shama Parveen from Bengaluru in Karnataka propagated AQIS videos through her social media and actively participated in extremist groups that promoted radical content after the Pahalgam Attack and Operation Sindoor.

She was in regular contact with a Pakistani national, Sumer Ali, to whom she sent screenshots and discussed banned literature and operations.

Her mobile phone contained incriminating books authored by extremist ideologues, videos, and Pakistani contact numbers, all of which were recovered during the investigation.

Investigations under section 193(9) of BNSS are continuing.