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Mumbai court allows ED to interrogate 19 ISIS suspects lodged in various jails
A Mumbai special court granted the Enforcement Directorate permission to record statements of 19 alleged ISIS members and sympathizers held in prisons across India, as part of a money laundering probe linked to ISIS activity in the country. The ED says the suspects are part of a deep-rooted conspiracy to expand ISIS in India, and the court authorised visits to jails for interrogation.
Why It Matters
The development enables the ED to advance its investigation into ISIS networks and financing in India, potentially affecting ongoing terrorism-related cases.
Timeline
3 Events
May 14, 2026: Mumbai court grants ED permission to interrogate 19 ISIS suspects
May 14, 2026
A Mumbai special court granted the Enforcement Directorate permission to record statements of 19 alleged ISIS members and sympathizers held in various prisons across India, for the purpose of proper and effective investigation. The ED contends the accused orchestrated a deep-rooted conspiracy to expand ISIS in India. It named Anurag Manbir Singh as the ISIS treasurer. The court also authorised ED to visit jails including Tihar, Arthur Road and Lucknow Central Jail for interrogations.
NIA case registered in November 2023 leading to arrests
November 2023
The Enforcement Directorate’s money laundering probe traces to a National Investigation Agency case registered in November 2023, targeting ISIS members operating in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, which led to the arrest of Shahnawaz Alam, Mohd Rizwan Ashraf and Mohd Arshad Warsi.
Nachan’s 2017 release and links to ISIS network
2017
Late Saqib Nachan, described by the ED as the self-declared head of ISIS in India, was convicted in multiple terror cases, including the 2002-2003 Mulund blast, and was released from jail in 2017. After his release, he was in touch with Sultan Sikander, a foreign-based ISIS handler, to expand ISIS networks in India.