New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has chargesheeted five accused in a case related to the online radicalisation of vulnerable youth by the Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) terror group in Gujarat.

The accused Mohammad Fardeen, Kureshi Sefulla, Mohammad Faique, Zeeshan Ali and Shama Parveen have been charged under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act.

The NIA’s investigation in case RC-02/2025/NIA/AMD revealed that the accused used social media platforms to propagate, support and disseminate anti-India ideologies of the banned AQIS. They posted provocative content, including videos, audio clips and photographs, through multiple social media accounts.

The agency further found that the accused called for an armed revolt against the democratically elected Indian government and advocated the establishment of a Caliphate based on Sharia law. They also promoted the extremist ideologies of other proscribed terror organisations to radicalise gullible youth.

The NIA, which took over the investigation from the Gujarat ATS, seized various incriminating materials in both paper and digital formats, along with deadly weapons, including a semi-automatic pistol with cartridges and a sword, from two of the accused during the course of the investigation. The agency further traced digital footprints and identified incriminating posts, strengthening the evidence against the accused.

As per the NIA findings, Mohammad Faique, a resident of Old Delhi, played a pivotal role in the conspiracy by sharing radical posts and inciting content related to jihad, Ghazwa-e-Hind and violence against a section of society. He circulated excerpts from extremist literature promoting the ideology of AQIS and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) leaders through his Instagram account and a group created specifically for this purpose. He also collaborated and conspired with other accused to widely spread violent ideology and content.

Sheikh Mohammad Fardeen from Ahmedabad, Kureshi Sefulla from Modasa (Gujarat) and Zeeshan Ali from Noida (Uttar Pradesh) were found to have actively engaged in promoting radical content in the form of audio, video and other posts supporting banned terror outfits. They regularly liked, commented on and collaborated in posts inciting jihad, Ghazwa-e-Hind and rebellion against the democratically elected Indian government, while advocating Khilafat and Sharia law.

Investigations further revealed that Shama Parveen from Bengaluru (Karnataka) propagated AQIS videos through social media and actively participated in extremist groups promoting radical content after the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor. She was in regular contact with a Pakistani national, Sumer Ali, with whom she shared screenshots and discussed banned literature and operations. Her mobile phone contained incriminating books authored by extremist ideologues, videos and Pakistani contact numbers, all of which were recovered during the investigation.

Investigations under Section 193(9) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) are continuing. DeshGujarat