Day after ATS raids at Padgha, two FIRs lodged; no arrests yet
An officer said they have seized 19 mobile phones during the raids, which have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Kalina for data extraction.
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The ATS claimed several suspicious articles were recovered, including SIM cards, mobile handsets, lethal weapons, including swords and knives, suspicious property-related documents and printed material allegedly meant for radicalising and brainwashing youth. (Credit: Pixabay)A day after the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) conducted raids at 22 locations at Padgha near Bhiwandi, two FIRs were registered by the probe agency under sections of the Arms Act over a chopper and sword seized during the raids. The agency did not give the names of the accused against whom the FIRs have been registered.
An officer said they have seized 19 mobile phones during the raids, which have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Kalina for data extraction. The officer said they had received information that while Saquib Nachan, who as per the NIA is the head of the Maharashtra module of ISIS, was lodged in Tihar jail and his son Shamil at Taloja prison since 2023, some Padgha locals, including some of Nachan’s relatives, had “become active again and were carrying out anti-national activities”.
It was based on this information that the ATS, along with Thane (rural) police, conducted raids at 22 houses in the area. “The main information will come from the 19 mobile phones that have been seized. We suspect some of the data was deleted, hence all these phones have been sent for forensic extraction that will reveal all the content. This will give us clarity on whether anything anti-national was brewing there,” the officer said.
Nachan, who is a resident of Boriwali in Padgha, was arrested along with his son in 2023 by the NIA for allegedly delivering provocative speeches aimed at inciting anti-national sentiments, brainwashing people and recruiting them in terrorist groups.
After receiving specific intelligence, warrants were duly secured from the court and the raids were conducted at nearly two-dozen places, including the home of Nachan’s elder brother Aquib. The raids, which began around 4 am Monday and continued until the afternoon, were carried out by over 250 police personnel, including 20 ATS teams.
The ATS claimed several suspicious articles were recovered, including SIM cards, mobile handsets, lethal weapons, including swords and knives, suspicious property-related documents and printed material allegedly meant for radicalising and brainwashing youth.
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