3 accused in ISIS Pune module case robbed sari shop in Satara, bought bomb components with proceeds: ATS

Probe revealed that two of them—Mohammed Yusuf Khan and Mohammed Yunus Mohammed Yakub Saki, both from Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh—had links with the ISIS and were on the most wanted list of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a case of recovery of explosives from a car in Rajasthan in 2022. The third suspect, identified as Mohammed Shahnawaz Alam alias Shafi of Jharkhand, escaped from Pune police’s custody at the time.

The Maharashtra ATS took over the probe from Pune police and arrested a few more suspects for alleged links to the ISIS. After the NIA took over the investigation on August 8, it said all these accused were part of a separate ‘Pune ISIS module’. In November last year, the NIA chargesheeted seven accused in the Pune ISIS Module case and also named Alam as its eighth accused after he was arrested by the Delhi Police’s Special Cell.

The probe by NIA and ATS has revealed that three of the accused in the Pune ISIS module case — Saki (27), Alam (31) and Zulfkar Ali Barodawala (44)–had conspired to loot a sari shop in Satara. The suspects had threatened the owner Ashok Kumar at gunpoint and robbed him of Rs 1 lakh cash.

On Wednesday, Saki, Alam and Barodawala were produced before the court of Special Judge VR Kachre. Prosecution counsel Vijay Fargade told the court, “Probe has revealed that a part of the proceeds from the armed robbery in Satara were used to purchase components to assemble a bomb. Probe has also revealed these members… used the proceeds of the crime for terror funding.”

During the hearing, assistant commissioner of police of Pune ATS Subhash Dughgaonkar submitted to court a confidential report about the details of the ongoing investigation.

Seeking 14 days remand of the three accused, the prosecution argued that the ATS has to investigate if the accused used the money to purchase components of bomb, to trace the bike and firearm used in the crime in Satara and also investigate whether any similar offences towards terror funding were committed by the suspects. The court remanded the trio to the ATS custody till March 21.

The chargesheet filed by NIA in November last year against the seven persons in Pune ISIS Module stated, “The accused were involved in the collection and raising of funds for the terrorist organisation with the intentions to further its activities relating to terror and violence. Furthermore, the accused were found to be organising terrorist training camps, harboring known and wanted terrorists, and committing acts preparatory to the fabrication of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Additionally, they were also found in possession of IEDs, firearms, and ammunition.”

The chargesheet had further stated, “Investigations by the NIA uncovered a larger conspiracy with international connections and the involvement of foreign-based ISIS handlers in the ongoing case. The accused individuals, as part of this network, took an oath of allegiance (Bayath) to the self-styled Khalifa (leader) of ISIS and were found to be involved in the fabrication of IEDs. Their intentions were to carry out acts of terrorism on Indian soil. The accused conducted extensive reconnaissance missions across states including Maharashtra, Kamataka, Goa, Telangana, and others. Their aim was to identify potential targets for planting and detonating the IEDs, posing a significant threat to national security.”