BHOPAL : Suspected Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist and Darul-Uloom, Deoband student Azhar Iqbal, who was arrested from Putlighar under Tilajamalpura police station limits by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday, was handed over to the agency on two days transit remand on Tuesday.
He was arrested from his uncle advocate Mohammed Laeek Khan’s residence. He will be produced in NIA court in Delhi on February 4. He was produced in the court of Judicial magistrate Sandhya Manoj Srivastava, which sent him on transit remand. Before that, he was taken to JP Hospital for medical check-up.
A total of 16 persons were booked by NIA on December 9, 2015 under the “Unlawful Activities Prevention Act” (UAPA). Of them, 15 have already arrested. Azhar’s was the 16th and last arrest in the case.
A resident of Barkheda in Obaidullaganj Tehsil of neighbouring Raisen district, Azhar was trying to associate youths with him through a WhatsApp group. The NIA has seized his mobile phone and laptop from his Obaidullaganj home town.
Other ISIS agents who have been arrested from different parts of the country include Mudbir, Rizwan Ali, Imran Pathan, Rafiq who were picked up from Hyderabad, Akhlaq ur-Rehman, Mohammed Osama, Mohammed Azim Shah and Mehroz from Manglour town in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar district, Abdul Sami from Mewat and Abdul Ahed from Karnataka.
Advocate Subhash Bhattacharya, who appeared in behalf of NIA, while talking to Media on court premises, said, “Azhar has been sent on transit remand of two days. He will be produced in Patiala House Court in Delhi on February 4. He was arrested under section 18 and 38 of UAPA Act.”
IG Law and order Makrand Deouskar told Free Press that the state police would also interrogate Azhar.
The police would try to identify his associates and take action against them. The police will also investigate the modus operandi of the accused.
‘Azhar had no electronic gadgets, was learning English’
Advocate Mohammed Laeek Khan said, “Azhar is my nephew and he was staying with me for the past 25 days. He had joined an English coaching institute at Moti Masjid. He used to go for coaching from 10:30 am to 1:30 am. He had no laptop, pen drive or others electronic gadgets. Azhar is 8th standard pass and he is pursuing nine-year ‘Alim’ course in Darul-Uloom, Deoband. He has already completed eight years of the course.”
