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Pune Crime Files: How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case

Dr Adnan Ali Sarkar allegedly promoted ISIS ideology and recruited vulnerable youth for terror activities.

Written by: Chandan Haygunde, Sushant Kulkarni

5 min readPuneUpdated: Nov 24, 2025 03:56 PM IST

But his name cropped up during the investigation of a meeting held in Pune on December 18, 2015, by alleged ISIS operatives arrested by the central agency from different parts of the country.

More than two years before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested several doctors, alleged to be involved in the Delhi Red Fort blast on November 10, the central agency apprehended a doctor from Pune in connection with the ISIS Maharashtra module terror case in July 2023.

On July 26, 2023, the central agency arrested Adnan Ali Sarkar, 45, a consulting anaesthetist working at a top hospital in Pune, who lived in the city’s Kondhwa area with his wife and children. The police said Sarkar went to schools in Akola and Bhusawal towns in Maharashtra before moving to Pune for higher education.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Jammu and Kashmir Police have arrested several doctors alleged to be part of a ‘while collar terror module’ involved in the Delhi Red Fort blast on November 10.

This is not the first time doctors have been arrested in connection with a terror case. On July 26, 2023, the central agency arrested a doctor, identified as Adnan Ali Sarkar, 45, from Pune, in connection with the ISIS Maharashtra module terror case.

A consulting anaesthetist working at a top hospital in Pune, Sarkar resided in the city’s Kondhwa area with his wife and children. The police said Sarkar did his schooling in Akola and Bhusawal towns in Maharashtra before shifting to Pune for studies.

He completed his MBBS in 2001 from B J Medical College in Pune and MD in anaesthesiology in 2006 from the same government-run institution. Police sources said that after working at a prominent hospital in Mumbai, he again came to Pune and was earning well. His research papers were published in medical journals.

But his name cropped up during the investigation of a meeting held in Pune on December 18, 2015, by alleged ISIS operatives arrested by the central agency from different parts of the country. The Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) questioned Sarkar in 2016, but did not arrest him then.

Religious lectures

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However, a police probe revealed Sarkar was a Bohra Muslim, who later got influenced to accept the Sunni faith. Police sources said that in Pune, Sarkar was suspected to have been associated with a religious foundation started by an Arabic teacher.

A few suspects linked to this foundation were arrested for bomb blasts in Gujarat. The police said Sarkar also started Arabic classes in Kondhwa and was one of the main speakers at the Islamic Awareness Society in Pune. He also conducted ‘Dars’ (religious lectures), as per the police.

The central agency registered the ISIS Maharashtra module case on June 28, 2023. On July 3 that year, following extensive raids in Mumbai, Thane and Pune, the central agency arrested four suspects: Tabish Nasser Siddiqui from Nagpada in Mumbai, Zubair Noor Mohammed Shaikh alias Abu Nusaiba from Kondhwa in Pune, and Sharjeel Shaikh and Zulfikar Ali Barodawala from Padgha in Thane.

The agency alleged that the four accused shared among themselves materials, including ‘do-it-yourself (DIY) kits’ for the fabrication of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and the manufacturing of small weapons, pistols, etc.

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Police sources said Sarkar, brother-in-law of the accused Barodawala, was arrested following leads obtained from the interrogation of another accused, Zubair Shaikh, who had worked as an IT engineer but lost his job a few years ago.

Documents related to ISIS

A press release by the central agency following his arrest stated that several incriminating materials, such as electronic gadgets and several documents related to ISIS, were seized from Sarkar’s Kondhwa residence. It stated that the material exposed Sarkar’s allegiance with ISIS and his role in “promoting the outfit’s violent agenda by motivating and recruiting vulnerable youth”.

“The accused had hatched a conspiracy to further ISIS terrorist activities…Probe has revealed that Sarkar was trying to disturb the unity, integrity, security and sovereignty of the country, and wage a war against the Government of India as part of the ISIS conspiracy through the organisation’s Maharashtra ISIS module,” the statement added.

In August 2023, the agency arrested Aakif Ateeque Nachan of Borivali –Padgha, the sixth accused in the ISIS Maharashtra module case, for his alleged involvement in the fabrication of IEDs for terrorist activities.

Chargesheet under UAPA

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In December 2023, the agency filed a chargesheet against Sarkar and five other accused in this case, under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), for allegedly doing “recruitment and raising funds” for the ISIS. The NIA press release stated that the accused were found to be in possession of “incriminating material related to Hijra to Syria, along with propaganda magazines like ‘Voice of Hindi’ and ‘Voice of Khurasan’ published by ISIS.

Meanwhile, Barodawala and Aakif Nachan were also among the 11 accused chargesheeted by the central agency in the separate Pune ISIS module case in November 2023. According to the agency, these accused, between 2022 and 2023, allegedly organised and participated in a bomb-making and training workshop at a house in Kondhwa, where they also carried out a controlled explosion to test an IED fabricated by them.

They were alleged to have conducted bomb tests in the jungles of Pune and other places. Explosive material, tents, a drone, and several electronic devices were seized from their possession, the police said.

Chandan Haygunde

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

Sushant Kulkarni

Sushant Kulkarni is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express in Pune with 12+ years of experience covering issues related to Crime, Defence, Internal Security and Courts. He has been associated with the Indian Express since July 2010. Sushant has extensively reported on law and order issues of Pune and surrounding area, Cyber crime, narcotics trade and terrorism. His coverage in the Defence beat includes operational aspects of the three services, the defence research and development and issues related to key defence establishments. He has covered several sensitive cases in the courts at Pune. Sushant is an avid photographer, plays harmonica and loves cooking. ... Read More

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