Steps have been initiated for confiscating the assets of persons from Kasaragod and Palakkad districts, who had left the country in 2016 and had allegedly joined the Islamic State (ISIS) in Afghanistan, as per a directive of the Special NIA Court in Kochi.
The court had issued a direction to the Revenue authorities to submit a detailed report on the assets of Abdul Rashid Abdullah, thought to be the leader of the group that had joined the ISIS. The instruction was issued under Sections 81, 82 and 83 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
A total of 21 persons, including three women and six children, from Kasaragod and Palakkad districts had left India in May-June, 2016 and had allegedly joined the ISIS camps in Afghanistan. Of the 21 persons, 17 were from three villages in Kasaragod district and four were from Palakkad district. As per reports, six of them had been killed in attacks in Afghanistan.
The investigating agencies had learned that Abdul Rashid Abdullah was the leader of the 18-member group from Thrikkarippur and Padanna in Kasaragod district. Abdul Rashid was earlier an administrator with a Peace International School of the Peace Education Foundation which had recently got into trouble over its non-secular syllabus. The court has also instructed Abdul Rashid to appear before it in person on August 13. Following the court’s instruction, the village officer of South Thrikkarippur has posted notices at Abdul Rashid’s house and the village office.
The NIA’s investigations had revealed that those who had left India and allegedly joined the ISIS had owned assets worth crores of rupees.