Overview
- Mohammed Raza, a resident of Andoli in Uttar Pradesh who was operating from Malappuram in Kerala, was detained on transit remand and is being brought to Lucknow, officials said.
- Four men arrested earlier — Akmal Raza (Sultanpur), Safeel Salmani alias Ali Razvi (Robertsganj, Sonbhadra), Mohammad Tausif (Kanpur) and Qasim Ali (Rampur) — have been sent to judicial custody.
- According to the ATS, the suspects were trying to raise a ‘Mujahideen Army’ to overthrow the elected government through violent jihad and impose Sharia law.
- Officials say the group was influenced by Pakistani radical organisations and had allegedly discussed targeted killings of non-Muslim religious leaders.
- Investigators reported seizing five mobile phones, identity and bank cards, and a PhonePe scanner, and they plan further interrogation and forensic analysis to identify additional associates.