HYDERABAD: A 2016 case wherein the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had arrested four persons in New Delhi for their alleged links with ISIS operatives, led NIA sleuths to Shaheen Nagar in the Old City of Hyderabad on Monday where they carried out day-long searches, just days ahead of the Independence Day. During the dawn-to-dusk operations, the NIA teams fanned out across the Old City and searched seven premises and seized a couple of mobile phones and laptops, which they suspect could contain some valuable information about the ISIS operatives -- both within the country and those abroad.
Though none were arrested, they summoned a father-son duo to the NIA office at Begumpet for enquiry on Tuesday on suspicion that either of them could have been in touch with the arrested ISIS operatives in Delhi last year.“NIA on Monday conducted searches on seven premises of suspects in Hyderabad and seized digital devices and incriminating material, in connection with the investigation of an ISIS related case of 2016. Further investigation is underway,” NIA said in a statement even as news spread about the searches in connection with terror cases.
The NIA teams started searches around 5 a.m and headed straight to a few houses in Shaheen Nagar. Thereafter, they covered seven premises in search of the father-son duo. Some amount of potassium nitrate was seized from the house of the father-son duo. There was no confirmation about whether it was to be used immediately. NIA believes it might get some valuable info from cell phone and laptops that were seized. There is a possibility of some arrests also. Shaheen Nagar under Pahadishareef police station limits of Rachakonda Commissionerate, turned into a high security zone with heavy deployment of police forces.
The surrounding areas were cordoned off with very limited access even to the locals, till the searches were completed. Teams from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat too participated in the searches.
The sleuths served notices to father and son asking them to appear for enquiry at the NIA office in Begumpet on Tuesday. They were identified as Mohammed Abdul Quddus and his 19-year-old son Mohammed Abdul Qadir.
Quddus said they have done no mistake and they will cooperate with the investigators. “They searched my house from 5 am to 5 pm and seized my son’s mobile phone and laptop,” he said.This development comes after the agency found the contact number of one of the persons, during the call data analysis of three suspects, who were arrested by the NIA in Delhi in 2016. Sheikh Azhar-ul Islam, Adnan Hassan and Mohammed Farhan Shaikh were arrested in January 2016. The contact number is said to be that of either Quddus or his son, which indicated that either of them had links with the arrested men.
According to sources, investigations in the 2016 case, revealed some more information in connection with the persons, who were found to be in contact with the arrested trio. Based on the information and further leads, Monday’s searches were conducted. The NIA had completed investigation in the case and filed a charge sheet against 11 people.The suspects were found to to be in regular contact with many city-based youth. A few of them were intercepted on different occasions in Kolkata and Nagpur, while they were planning to go to Syria, through Bangladesh and Jammu and Kashmir. The youths were counselled by state and Central agencies and were deradicalised from the ISIS ideologies, but a few of them were believed to be in still contact with ISIS operatives through various social media platforms.
We are innocent, says father
Mohd Abdul Quddus said that he and his son are innocent, but added that he does not keep a track of what his son is doing every moment. “My son is working with Jamiat Ahle Hadees and preaching religion. But he is not involved in any illegal activity. We are innocent,” he said.Quddus, who collects funds for madrasas in the city, further added that Qadir had failed in maths in SSC. He was in Wanaparthy and came to the city recently.