New Delhi: In a sweeping counter-terror operation, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches at 10 locations across five Indian states on November 12, 2023, as part of its ongoing probe into the Al Qaida Gujarat Terror Conspiracy Case. The case involves a network of illegally migrated Bangladeshi nationals allegedly working for the banned terrorist organization Al Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).
The coordinated raids were carried out in West Bengal, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, and Karnataka. NIA teams targeted residential premises of individuals suspected to be linked with AQIS. During the operation, several digital devices and incriminating documents were seized, which are now undergoing forensic analysis.
The case, registered as RC-19/2023/NIA/GUI in June 2023, falls under multiple sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and the Foreigners Act. Investigations have revealed that the accused—Mehedi Hasan, Mohd. Sojibbin, Munna Khalid Ansari alias Munna Khan, Azarul Islam alias Azarul alias Akash Khan, and Mohd. Sahabuddin—had illegally entered India from Bangladesh and were actively involved in promoting AQIS ideology.
These individuals were reportedly operating under the leadership of Aashiq Iqbal alias Anas, who had been arrested earlier in connection with the same case. According to NIA, the accused were engaged in radicalizing vulnerable youth and recruiting them into the terrorist fold.
On November 8, 2023, the agency filed a chargesheet against five accused in the case. The latest round of searches aims to uncover further evidence, trace additional foreign-based operatives, and map out their support networks and financial transactions both within India and across borders.
The NIA’s intensified efforts underscore its commitment to dismantling terror modules and preventing the spread of extremist ideologies across the country.
