NIA conducts raids at 13 premises in six states over links to ISIS

National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday conducted searches at 13 premises of suspects in six States in connection with activities pertaining to ISIS.

The raids are underway in six states including Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

The agency conducted searches at Bhopal and Raisen districts in Madhya Pradesh; Bharuch, Surat, Navsari and Ahmedabad districts in Gujarat, Arariya district in Bihar, Bhatkal and Tumkur City districts in Karnataka, Kolhapur and Nanded districts in Maharashtra and Deoband districts in Uttar Pradesh.

The case was registered suo-moto by NIA on June 25, 2022, under sections 153A, and 153B of IPC and sections 18, 18B, 38, 39 & 40 of UA (P) Act.

The searches conducted today have led to the seizure of incriminating documents/material.

Further investigations in the case are in progress.

Moreover, the probe agency has been conducting raids at multiple locations in Bihar including Nalanda district since Thursday morning in connection with the Phulwari Sharif case having links with extremist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI).

The sources said that these raids were conducted almost a week after the NIA registered a case and started a thorough probe into the case.

It is being told that the places where these raids are being carried out, all these places belong to people associated with the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).

The raids which are being conducted for the last three hours, the NIA team is searching the entire house and everything is being investigated.

According to the information received from the sources, many people have been taken into custody so far. Heavy security personnel have been deployed in the area.

The NIA registered the case on July 22 night under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act following an order issued by the Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation division of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directing the agency to take over the investigation from Bihar Police.

The PFI "terror module" case was recently unearthed by Bihar Police with the arrest of three people for their alleged links with the group and their plans to indulge in "anti-India" activities.