The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a chargesheet against 11 alleged operatives of Bangladesh-based terror group Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).
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The case stems from a multi-state operation led by Assam Police’s Special Task Force (STF) in December last year, during which the 11 men were arrested from Assam, Tripura and West Bengal before the investigation was taken over by the NIA.
According to the central agency, they allegedly conspired to expand the extremist activities of its offshoot, Imam Mahmuder Kafila (IMK), in Assam, Tripura, West Bengal and other parts of the Northeast.
The chargesheet was filed before the NIA Special Court in Guwahati under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, the agency said on Friday.
The central agency identified two of the suspects, Nasimuddin and Jagir Mia, as key functionaries allegedly leading IMK’s activities in Assam and Tripura, respectively.
The agency said the accused were involved in activities such as clandestine meetings, religious indoctrination programmes, circulation of extremist literature, and the use of digital platforms for anti-India propaganda while promoting allegiance to the leadership of IMK and JMB.
“NIA investigations had revealed the active involvement of the accused in the conspiracy of Imam Mahmuder Kafila (IMK) to expand the terror outfit’s ideology in West Bengal and the northeastern states of India, including Assam and Tripura,” the agency said in a statement.
The NIA said investigators recovered incriminating documents, electronic devices and digital records during the probe, which formed part of the evidence relied upon in the chargesheet. It added that further investigation into the case is continuing.
Inspector General of Police (STF) Partha Sarathi Mahanta said the 11 suspects were arrested under Operation Pratighat, a counter-terror exercise intensified in recent months to neutralise suspected radical and jihadi activities in the region.
He added that IMK was formed in 2018 by Jewel Mahmud, also known as Imam Mahmud Habibullah or Sohail, a former JMB operative who claims to be the Amir of IMK and propagates the extremist ideology of Ghazwatul Hind, with the aim of expanding the banned outfit’s activities and ideology in India.
“We were closely monitoring jihadi activities in coordination with central intelligence agencies. Based on specific inputs, we uncovered the Imam Mahmuder Kafila module,” Mahanta said.
Those arrested include residents of Barpeta, Chirang, Baksa and Darrang districts in Assam, along with one person from West Tripura district. One operative was also arrested in West Bengal and brought to Assam for further questioning.
Police officers said the Assam module was headed by Nasim Uddin alias Tamim (24), a resident of Barpeta Road, who was identified as the state in-charge of IMK operations and was among those arrested.
Two Bangladeshi nationals were coordinating Assam-based activities from across the border, the officers added.
The officers said some of the 11 arrested had travelled to Bangladesh on valid Indian passports and visas for meetings and training before 2023, while others were being encouraged to migrate with their families to the neighbouring country for arms training.
Mahanta said the December 30 arrests were the first phase of the STF’s operations against suspected anti-national activities and that further action would follow based on actionable intelligence. “The network is not limited to Assam and West Bengal but has linkages with other parts of the country. Further details cannot be disclosed at this stage as operations are ongoing,” he added.
