AQIS Jharkhand Training Module Case: Delhi Police Files Charge Sheet Against Dr Ishtiyaq, 7 Others

The Delhi Police has filed a charge sheet before the Patiala House Court against eight individuals, including Dr. Ishtiyaq of Ranchi, in connection with the Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) Jharkhand Training Module case.

The charge sheet has been submitted under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Three of the originally arrested individuals have not been included in this filing. In total, 11 individuals were initially taken into custody as part of the investigation.

Presiding over the proceedings, Additional Sessions Judge Dr. Hardeep Kaur has scheduled the charge sheet for consideration on February 24. The accused were originally apprehended on August 22, 2024, in a coordinated operation conducted by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police in collaboration with law enforcement agencies from multiple states.

The charge sheet formally names Anamul Ansari, Shabaz Ansari, Altaf Ansari, Mohammad Rizwan, Motiur Rehaman, Mufti Rehmatullah, Faizan Ahmed, and Dr. Ishtiyaq Ahmed. However, Arshad, Umar Farooq, and Hasan Ansari have not been included.

Additionally, another individual, Shahbaz Ansari, was arrested subsequently, and investigative proceedings concerning his role remain ongoing.

On December 12, 2024, the Delhi High Court granted the Delhi Police a 90-day extension to complete their investigation into the AQIS Jharkhand Training Module case. This extension followed a prior decision by the trial court, which had refused to prolong the investigative timeline, prompting the police to seek relief from the High Court.

Earlier, on September 12, the trial court remanded the 11 accused individuals to judicial custody following extensive police interrogation. Law enforcement authorities allege that these individuals are part of an AQIS-affiliated training network, reportedly led by Dr. Ishtiyaq of Ranchi, Jharkhand.

According to official statements, the Special Cell of the Delhi Police, in conjunction with state police forces from Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, successfully dismantled this operational module through a coordinated, intelligence-driven initiative.

Authorities assert that the module, purportedly headed by Dr. Ishtiyaq, was engaged in ideological radicalization and military-style training, with the objective of establishing a Khilafat and orchestrating acts of terrorism within India.

The police report indicates that six individuals were detained in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan, while allegedly undergoing weapons training.

Additionally, eight suspects were apprehended in Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh for further questioning. Law enforcement agencies recovered an array of firearms, ammunition, and extremist literature from multiple locations.

The seized weaponry includes one AK-47 assault rifle, one .38-caliber revolver, six live rounds of .38-caliber ammunition, 30 live rounds of .32-caliber ammunition, 30 live rounds of AK-47 ammunition, a dummy INSAS rifle, an air rifle, an iron elbow pipe, a hand grenade, a remote-controlled detonation device, various electrical wiring components, an AA-sized 1.5-volt battery, a table clock, four ground sheets, a marked target, and a camping tent.

The case remains under judicial review, with investigative agencies continuing their inquiries to ascertain the full extent of the alleged terrorist network.

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