Sleuths of the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested a Kashmiri militant, Tauheed Ahmed Shah, of Bargaon (Jammu and Kashmir), wanted in connection with a case related to subversive activity during the last Independence Day.
He was produced before a local ATS/National Investigation Agency (NIA) court to procure his remand in Lucknow on Monday.
The court sent Tauheed to judicial custody for 14 days.
Tauheed is an active member of Al Qaeda module (Ansar Ghazwat-ul Hind) and was involved in a failed plan to carry out terrorist incidents in sensitive places of Uttar Pradesh before August 15, 2021. For actualising the plot, another accused, Minhaj, deposited money in his account. Five accused, including Minhaj, have already been arrested and sent to judicial custody.
On July 11, 2021, an FIR in this regard was registered by Inspector Sushil Kumar Singh with the ATS police station under sections 121A, 122, 123 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 13, 18, 18B, 20, 39 of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and Section 4 of Explosive Substances Act as well as under Section 3/25 of the Arms Act. The ATS had arrested co- accused Minhaj and Musiruddin the same day.
Minhaj was questioned by the ATS, after which Tauheed's name surfaced. Gunpowder with pressure cooker bomb, self-made detonator, a 32-bore pistol, four live cartridges, potassium permanganate and mobile etc. were recovered from them. Later on July 15, accused Shakeel, Mohd. Mueed and Mustaqeem were sent to jail in judicial custody.
After this the investigation of the case was handed over to the NIA. According to NIA special counsel MK Singh, a chargesheet has been filed against all of them. On Monday, a joint team of NIA arrested accused Tauheed Ahmed Shah and obtained his judicial remand. During interrogation, Tauheed is reported to have dished out important information to the NIA.