NIA arrests 13 for links with Bangladesh terror outfit,searches in 3 states

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday conducted searches at 16 locations across Assam, West Bengal and Kerala, leading to the arrest of 13 persons in connection with a terror conspiracy orchestrated by an offshoot of the proscribed Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terrorist organisation. Digital devices, including mobile phones, pen drives and memory cards, were seized from their possession. Of the 13 accused, 8 were arrested from Assam, 4 from West Bengal and 1 from Kerala. 
The case originates from the arrest of 11 accused persons by Assam Police on 28th December 2025, from various districts of Assam, West Bengal and Tripura. STF had registered Case on 30th December 2025 against 35 accused for an online radicalisation module operated through the "Purva Akash" Telegram group by Bangladesh-based handlers of IMK. These 11 accused were chargesheeted on 25th June this year and remain in judicial custody. NIA subsequently took over the case and filed a chargesheet against these 11 accused persons under various sections of the BNS, 2023, and the UA (P) Act, before the NIA Special Court in Guwahati, Assam.
NIA's investigation had revealed the active involvement of the accused in the conspiracy of Imam Mahmuder Kafila (IMK), a manifestation of JMB, to expand the terror outfit's ideology in West Bengal and the north-eastern states of India. The conspiracy involved promotion of the terrorist organisation's extremist agenda, radicalisation of vulnerable youth, and expansion of the outfit's network in India. Investigations furter showed that JMB's senior member Imam Mahmud Habibullah had established IMK to promote the banned outfit's agenda on Indian soil.
It was also found that the accused had conspired to grow the presence of IMK/JMB in India through clandestine meetings, religious indoctrination programmes, circulation of extremist literature, and use of digital platforms for anti-India propaganda. They were promoting allegiance to the leadership of IMK/JMB. 10 accused in the case remain absconding, including 1 Indian national and 9 Bangladeshi nationals. Investigation is continuing.

(Freelance Journalist)