Mumbai: In a major counter-terror operation, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday carried out raids at 26 locations across five states—Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and Delhi—targeting individuals linked to a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror conspiracy. One suspect was arrested during the raids, which are part of an ongoing investigation into the activities of the Pakistan-based terror group, officials said.
The arrested individual, identified as Sheikh Sultan Salah Uddin Ayubi, also known as Ayubi, claims to be a descendant of the Ayubi dynasty. He is set to be produced before the NIA Special Court at Patiala House, New Delhi, on Sunday. Ayubi is affiliated with the J-e-M and is regarded by some as an advocate of establishing a caliphate-style governance in India, rejecting national boundaries. His role in the ongoing terror operations is currently under investigation by the NIA.
According to NIA officials, the arrested and detained suspects were engaged in radicalizing individuals associated with JeM and disseminating terrorist propaganda. They were also involved in recruiting youth into the Jamaat outfit inspired by Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). Investigations have revealed that these suspects were motivating youth to commit violent terror attacks across India.
Additionally, several other suspects have been rounded up for questioning. During the searches, NIA teams seized several incriminating documents, electronic devices, pamphlets, and magazines. These materials are being examined for further leads and evidence against the suspects whose premises were searched.
In Maharashtra, raids conducted in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Jalna, and Malegaon led to the detention of several individuals. In Malegaon, Mukhtar Ansari, a former member of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), is currently being interrogated by NIA officials for his suspected links to Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). As part of the ongoing crackdown, NIA officers, supported by local police, raided his homeopathy clinic in Abdullah Nagar, located on Mashriqi Iqbal Road.
In Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, NIA officials raided a property in Kiradpura early Saturday morning, detaining Maulana Syed Ilyas, a local prayer leader and madrasa teacher. The operation also led to the detention of Abdul Sattar Patel, a suspect from the N-6 area. Both individuals were interrogated at the Sambhaji Nagar ATS office, with questioning continuing late into Saturday evening. They were released due to a lack of evidence. The NIA issued notices to Maulana Syed Ilyas and Abdul Sattar Patel.
Further raids in Jalna have led to the detention of Nadeem Abdul Samad Saudagar, a leather trader from the Gandhi Nagar area. Saudagar is under scrutiny for his alleged involvement in supporting the activities of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). According to sources, he also operates a scrap business with connections to Hyderabad.The raid was conducted due to suspected links connecting him to the terrorist organization. He had been on the radar for some time and allegedly facilitated terrorist funding, including for sleeper cells. After six hours of questioning, he was detained and is being taken to the ATS office in Sambhajinagar, reportedly to be transferred to the NIA office in Mumbai for further questioning on Sunday.
Saudagar's wife is from Nizamabad, Hyderabad. While his leather business is limited to Jalna, the scrap business has expanded to Hyderabad. Saudagar has completed education up to the second year of BA and is 28 years old.
The NIA's nationwide operation, linked to case RC-13/24/NIA/DLI, reflects the agency's intensified efforts to counter terror-related activities across multiple states. With multiple suspects under investigation, officials believe this crackdown could unravel critical links to JeM’s terror network.
NIA Investigations in the case are continuing.
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