NIA takes over Jaish-e-Mohammed terror module case busted by Gujarat ATS

Ahmedabad: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the investigation into the Gujarat ATS case involving eight alleged terrorists linked to the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), who were arrested following a covert operation across Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

The Union Home Ministry has handed over the investigation to the NIA, which registered a fresh case on August 25 after obtaining the investigation documents and other records from the Gujarat ATS.

The Gujarat ATS had conducted a secret operation across Mehsana, Siddhpur, Palanpur and Navsari in Gujarat, as well as Dewas in Madhya Pradesh, leading to the arrest of eight alleged JeM operatives. According to the ATS investigation, the accused were allegedly propagating the ideology of the banned terrorist organisation and attempting to recruit people into the group.

The investigation also revealed that accused Ibrahim Md Hussain Ghadha and Zakaria had allegedly translated JeM chief Masood Azhar’s book Dars-e-Jihad from Urdu into Gujarati. Investigators suspect the translation was intended to make the material accessible to local people and encourage them towards jihad.

According to the ATS, the accused had formed an organisation called ‘Darul Islam Gujarat Jaish-e-Mohammed’ and were allegedly using it to influence people close to them and encourage them to join JeM. Books authored by Masood Azhar and other suspicious literature related to jihad were also recovered from the accused.

The ATS further found digital material allegedly linked to jihadist propaganda on the mobile phone of accused Ibrahim Dhandhana. An application called Board Locker contained 254 pages of digital material, including jihadist books, statements, audio recordings, videos, photographs and the Jaish-e-Mohammed flag.

Investigators also recovered eight Urdu letters allegedly related to joining the organisation. The accused had reportedly received ₹3 lakh from a Pakistani handler associated with JeM.

The ATS said Ibrahim and Ahmed used the money to purchase an old car but did not register it in their names, allegedly fearing that the transaction could lead to their detection.

The ATS suspects that the accused may have been planning to carry out a major act of sabotage. With the case now transferred to the NIA, investigators are expected to examine the accused’s links with Pakistani handlers, their recruitment network, funding trail, digital communications and any plans for potential terrorist activities. DeshGujarat