The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet in the special court here against 12 persons for their involvement in fraudulent procurement and activation of SIM cards used by IS terrorists for their activities in the country.
The accused are Pachaiyappan, 37, of Kancheepuram district; A. Rajesh, 34 of Chennai; T. Anbarasan, 27; Abdul Rahiman, 44; Liyakath Ali, 29, of Salem; Mohammed Haneef Khan, 29; Imran Khan, 32; Mohammed Zaid, 24; Ejaz Pasha, 46, and Mahboob Pasha, 48, are from Bengaluru and Khaja Mohideen, 52, is from Cuddalore district. They were charged under sections 120 B (Criminal Conspiracy) 465(Punishment for forgery), 468 (Forgery for purpose of cheating) of IPC, provisions of Arms Act and Unlawful Activities(Prevention) Act.
A press release from the NIA said investigation revealed that after the release of the key conspirator and IS terrorist named Khaja Mohideen on bail in a case relating to the murder of a Hindu leader, in February, 2019, he conspired with one Liyakath Ali with the intention of furthering the activities of IS in India.
They procured a large number of SIM cards fraudulently activated by Pachaiyappan from Kancheepuram, Rajesh from Chennai, Anbarasan and Abudul Rahman from Salem between September and December, 2019. Khaja Mohideen had radicalised his associates Mohammed Haneef Khan, Imran Khan, Mohammed Zaid, Ejaz Pasha, Hussain Shariff and Mahboob Pasha of Bengaluru on the violent extremist ideology of ISIS/ Daish and conspired with them to further the activities of IS in India.
In furtherance of the conspiracy, Khaja Mohideen and Mahboob Pasha also procured through the co-conspirators, country-made fire arms and prohibited ammunition besides jungle camping equipment, pursuant to their intention to establish a wilayah (province) of IS near forests in South India with a view to wage a violent jihad on behalf of the global terrorist organisation.
The case was originally registered by Q Branch, Chennai on December 28, 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 for unlawful gain. Investigation revealed that the SIM cards were activated in Chennai and during subsequent investigation, it was found that similar fraudulent activation of Vodafone SIM cards were also done at 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 terror associates and for procurement of illegal arms and ammunition for preparing and perpetrating IS activities in India, charged NIA.