NIA files charge sheet against 12 persons in ISIS Chennai case

New Delhi: National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday (June 23) filed a charge-sheet against twelve accused persons involved in the case related to fraudulent procurement and activation of SIM cards, which were used by ISIS terrorists for anti-India activities.

The accused persons are Pachaiyappan, A Rajesh, Anbarasan T, Abdul Rahiman, Liyakath Ali, Mohammed Haneef Khan, Imran Khan, Mohammed Zaid, Ejaz PashaHussain Shariff, Khaja Mohideen and Mahboob Pasha.

The NIA probe has revealed that after the release of the key conspirator and ISIS terrorist Khaja Mohideen on bail in a case relating to the murder of a Hindu leader from Central Prison, Puzhal in February 2019, he had conspired with one Liyakath Ali to extend ISIS activities in India. 

They procured a large number of SIM cards fraudulently activated by accused Pachaiyappan and Rajesh at Chennai, besides by other accused Anbarasan and Abdul Rahman at Salem between September and December 2019. Khaja Mohideen had radicalized his associates Mohammed Haneef Khan, Imran Khan, Mohammed Zaid, Ejaz Pasha, Hussain Shariff, and Mahboob Pasha of Bengaluru, and conspired with them to further the activities of ISIS in India. 

In furtherance of their conspiracy, Khaja Mohideen and Mahboob Pasha also procured through the co-conspirators, country-made firearms and prohibited ammunition besides jungle camping equipment, pursuant to their intention to establish a Wilayah (province) of ISIS/ Daish near forests in South India with a view to waging violent jihad on behalf of the global terrorist organization.

The case was registered as of Q Branch, Chennai Police Tamil Nadu on 28th December 2019, based on a complaint filed by the Territorial Sales Manager, Airtel, Kancheepuram that some Airtel SIM cards were fraudulently activated using identity documents of various persons without their knowledge.

Investigation revealed that the SIM cards were activated in Chennai and later it was found that similar fraudulent activation of Vodafone SIM cards was also done in Salem. 

The fraudulently activated SIM cards procured from Chennai and Salem were provided to Khaja Mohideen, who used them for communicating with his co-conspirators and for the procurement of illegal arms and ammunition for preparing and perpetrating ISIS/Daish related terror activities in India.