New Delhi, 13th September 2023: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has attached a house in Uttar Pradesh as ‘proceeds of terrorism’ after discovering that it was being used by an active member of the banned terrorist organisation, Al-Qaeda/ Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind, to make preparations for carrying out terror attacks.
The accused, Minhaj Ahmed, was using the property, house no. 602/400, Adnanpalli, Ring Road, Dubagga, UP, for carrying out various terror related unlawful activities, including fabrication of IEDs and Petrol bombs, to carry out terrorist attacks in the state. The property is registered in the name of Minhaj’s father, Siraj Ahmad and the latter’s mother and brother.
The NIA, which attached the property on Monday, under section 25 of the UA (P) Act, 1967, has found that the accused, Minhaj, had been working closely with Adil Nabi Teli @ Musa, a terrorist affiliated with TRF (an affiliate of the proscribed terrorist organisation Laskhar-e-Taiba). Musa was killed in an encounter with Security forces on 16th March 2022.
Investigations by NIA in a case pertaining to radicalisation/recruitment of members for AQIS (Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent) had led the agency to Minhaj’s connections with Musa. NIA has found that Minhaj had provided funds to the co-accused for the purpose of carrying out violent Jihadist (terrorist activities) in Kashmir.
The accused had procured certain raw materials and components to fabricate an IED in a Pressure cooker, which was recovered from the property attached on Monday. Minhaj had also prepared a sample IED using materials in small quantity and carried out its controlled explosion (testing) on the roof of the said house, NIA investigations have revealed.
Further, the anti-terror agency has found that Minhaj had recorded a video of the fabrication of IED as well as its controlled explosion and sent it to Musa. He had also prepared a Petrol bomb and shared a video of its fabrication with Musa. Minhaj Ahmad had also procured a Pistol and live ammunition, and concealed it in his room on the first Floor of the said house.
The case was initially registered as FIR No. 10/2021 on 11th July 2021 by ATS, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. It was taken over and re-registered by NIA on 29th July the same year.
The NIA has so far arrested and chargesheeted six accused in the case.