Mumbai NIA court convicts Dr Adnanali Sarkar in ISIS module case, awards six years' rigorous imprisonment

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has secured a major success in the case of the ISIS terror module in Maharashtra. The special NIA court in Mumbai has convicted Dr Adnanali Sarkar, an accused in the case. The court sentenced him to the maximum of six years' rigorous imprisonment and also imposed a fine of Rs 65,000. The sentence was handed down under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

According to the NIA's investigation, an alleged conspiracy had been hatched in the case to spread the ideology of the terror organisation, recruit youth and raise money for terror activities. The agency had alleged that the accused, in contact with ISIS, were working to spread the organisation's radical ideas.

Propaganda pamphlets of ISIS also surfaced during the investigation. The probe revealed that propaganda literature known as "Voice of Hind" and "Voice of Khorasan" was being used to spread the organisation's thinking. It was also alleged that attempts were made to draw youth towards radical ideas and involve them in the organisation's activities.

In the case, the charges against Dr Adnanali Sarkar under Sections 13, 18, 20, 38 and 39 of the UAPA, along with Sections 201 and 120-B of the IPC, were proved. The special court then sentenced him to six years' rigorous imprisonment and ordered him to pay a fine of Rs 65,000.

The NIA had filed a chargesheet against a total of six accused in the case. Of them, the court has convicted Dr Adnanali Sarkar, while the trial of the remaining five accused is still on and court proceedings will continue. The sentence is being seen as significant for investigating the alleged ISIS network in Maharashtra and exposing the conspiracy behind it. However, the court's final verdict on the other accused is yet to come.