KOCHI: The first Islamic State (IS)-related case in Kerala will go to trial at NIA Court in Kochi from next week. The woman native of Bihar who attempted to leave India to join IS will face trial at the NIA Court from November 9.The case related to the exodus of 15 people from Kasargod to join IS in Afghanistan is set to go to trial. NIA had filed the first chargesheet against Abdulla Abdul Rashid and Bihar native Yasmeen Mohammed Zahid in January, based on which the trial will be held.
As a preliminary step, the NIA Court framed charges against Yasmeen Mohammed Zahid last week.
Chargesheet against the other 14 accused, all of who are suspected to be in Afghanistan, is pending. “Since Abdulla Abdul Rashid is not arrested, trial will be held only against Yasmeen. The court has scheduled the trial to commence on November 9,” said an NIA officer.Sixty-eight prosecution witnesses will be examined during the trial from November 9 to December 4. NIA prosecutor Arjun Ambalapatta will appear for the investigation agency.
“Summons have been sent to the Thrissur jail where Yasmeen is lodged. Trial against the other accused will be held post their arrest,” the NIA officer said.Besides being the one of the first IS cases to be registered in Kerala, it will also be the first case in the state and the second in the country to enter the trial stage. The first IS case in India to go to trial was in Himachal Pradesh, in which the accused were sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonmentThe 15 Kasargod natives had in 2015 moved to Afghanistan to join IS at Nangarhar Province. Initially, the Kerala Police registered a missing case (534/2016) at the Kasargod police station.
Yasmeen, who had attempted to join IS with her son was intercepted by Kerala Police at the Delhi international airport on July 30, 2016. Though she had received bail from the NIA Court early this year, the persons who represented as sureties decided to withdraw, which led to cancellation of her bail. She was then lodged in a jail at Thrissur.“Yasmeen Mohammed Zahid had received and utilised funds provided by Rashid for her preparations to further IS activities. In doing so, the two committed offences punishable under IPC Section 120B with section 125, besides Sections 38, 39 and 40 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act,” the NIA chargesheet filed in the court had said.