1 held in Chakan for alleged terror links
The accused identified as Shariyat Mandal, who worked as a labourer at a construction site in Chakan, was allegedly involved in recruitment of cadres for Islamic State Bangladesh (ISBD) terror outfit, according to ATS officials.
A 19-year-old was arrested from Chakan on Thursday in a joint operation by the Bihar and Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS) for alleged terror links, police said.
The accused identified as Shariyat Mandal, who worked as a labourer at a construction site in Chakan, was allegedly involved in recruitment of cadres for Islamic State Bangladesh (ISBD) terror outfit, according to ATS officials.
The arrest came two days after two Bangladeshi nationals with alleged links to terror outfits were arrested in Patna, police said. Shariyat, who hails from West Bengal, was allegedly continuously in contact with the earlier two accused arrested by the ATS identified as Abu Sultan and Khairul Mandal. Both Sultan and Khairul are residents of Chhapatalla, Jhenaidah district, Bangladesh. ATS officials said they are affiliated with the banned Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and ISBD terror outfit.
Shariyat was on Thursday produced in the Pune Sessions court and has been sent to Bihar on transit remand. He will be produced in a Bihar court since the case is being investigated by the Bihar ATS. According to the Bihar police ATS chief, Sushil Khopde, during the raid, his team recovered two cell phones and a micro secure digital (SD) card, which is being examined.
“Shariyat is an active member of ISBD. He was tasked to set up ISIS India branch and strengthen the terrorist organisation here. He was arrested based on specific inputs provided by the two arrested JMB terrorists from Patna junction on Monday. He is being brought to Bihar on transit remand,” Khopde said.
Bihar ATS arrested two Bangladeshi terror suspects near Patna Junction railway station on Monday and seized photocopies of letters related to deployment of central forces in Jammu and Kashmir after the Pulwama attack, fake voter identity cards, PAN cards, and ISIS posters from them. The ATS said the two men had entered India without valid passports and had procured fake voter and PAN cards to conceal their identities. They were nabbed on specific inputs from the intelligence bureau (IB).
The accused has been charged under Sections 18, 38 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Sections 420, 467, 468, 471, 34 of Indian Penal Code and Section 14 of the Foreigners Act, 1946.