NIA conducts searches at five locations in Mumbai, Pune

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 3 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out searches at five different places in Maharashtra's Mumbai and Pune, said the officials on Monday.

According to the officials, the searches are being carried out at five locations in connection to a case linked to an Islamic state.

"The searches are still underway, at one place in Pune and four in Mumbai," said the officials.

More details are awaited.

Earlier on Sunday, the NIA conducted raids at five places in Bihar, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh in connection with 'Ghazwa-e-Hind', a radicalized module being run by Pakistan-based suspects.

The agency searched one place in Darbhanga and two in Patna in Bihar, one in Surat (Gujarat), and one in Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh). The raids were conducted at the premises of these suspects across three states.

Incriminating material, including digital devices (mobile phones, memory cards), SIM cards and documents were seized during the raids, said the NIA.

The case came to light after the arrest of Marghoob Ahmad Danish alias Tahir, of Phulwarisharif area of Patna district by the Bihar Police, which registered it on July 14, last year. The NIA took over the case and re-registered it on July 22, last year and Marghoob was charge-sheeted on January 6 this year under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

"The accused was found to be a member of the Ghazwa-e-Hind module, which was operated by Pakistan-based operatives, with the objective of radicalizing impressionable youth for the establishment of Ghazwa-e-Hind over Indian territory," said the NIA.

Investigations revealed that Marghoob was the admin of a WhatsApp Group 'Ghazwa-e-Hind', created by a Pakistani national named Zain.

"Marghoob had added many Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Yemeni nationals to the Group with the aim of establishing sleeper cells in the country for carrying out terrorist activities," said the NIA.

It further said that the accused had created various social media groups of the 'Ghazwa-e-Hind' on WhatsApp, Telegram and BiP Messenger."He had also created another WhatsApp group in the name of 'BDGhazwa E HindBD' and had added Bangladeshi nationals to it."Further investigations showed that various suspects involved in the case were in contact with Pakistan-based handlers and were involved in propagating the idea of Ghazwa-e-Hind, said the NIA.

"Further NIA investigations in the case are in progress," added the agency.