SRINAGAR: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against five individuals in a case related to the online radicalisation of vulnerable youth by the Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) terror outfit in Gujarat, uncovering the use of social media platforms to propagate anti-India and extremist ideologies and incite armed rebellion against the democratically elected government.
The NIA said it has chargesheeted five accused in a case relating to online radicalisation of vulnerable youth by the Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) terror group in Gujarat.
Mohammad Fardeen, Kureshi Sefulla, Mohammad Faique, Zeeshan Ali and Shama Parveen have been charged under various sections of the UA(P) Act, BNS Act and Arms Act.
The NIA’s investigation in case RC-02/2025/NIA/AMD revealed that the accused used social media platforms for propagating, supporting and disseminating the anti-India ideologies of the banned AQIS. They posted provocative material, including videos, audio clips and photographs, through various social media accounts.
The NIA further found that through these posts, the accused had called for armed revolt against the democratically elected Indian government and for the establishment of a Caliphate based on Sharia law. They also promoted the extremist ideologies of other proscribed terror organisations to radicalise gullible youth.
The NIA, which had taken over the investigation from ATS Gujarat, said the state agency had seized various incriminating materials in both paper and digital formats, along with deadly weapons, including a semi-automatic pistol with cartridges and a sword, from two of the five accused during the course of the probe. The NIA later traced digital footprints and identified further incriminating posts, strengthening evidence against the accused.
The statement further reads that Mohammad Faique, a resident of Old Delhi, had played a pivotal role in the conspiracy by sharing radical posts and inciting content on Jihad, Ghazwa-e-Hind and violence against a section of society.
He circulated excerpts from extremist literature promoting the ideology of AQIS and JeM leaders through his Instagram account and a group specifically created for the purpose. He further collaborated and conspired with the other accused to spread violent ideology widely.
Sheikh Mohammad Fardeen from Ahmedabad, Kureshi Sefulla from Modasa (Gujarat) and Zeeshan Ali from Noida (UP) were found to have actively engaged in promoting radical content in the form of audio, video and other posts supporting banned terror outfits. They regularly liked, commented on and collaborated on posts inciting Jihad, Ghazwa-e-Hind and rebellion against the democratically elected Indian government, while advocating Khilafat and Sharia law.
The investigation also revealed that Shama Parveen from Bengaluru (Karnataka) propagated AQIS videos through her social media and actively participated in extremist groups that promoted radical content after the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor.
She was in regular contact with a Pakistani national, Sumer Ali, to whom she sent screenshots and discussed banned literature and operations. Her mobile phone contained incriminating books authored by extremist ideologues, videos and Pakistani contact numbers, all of which were recovered during the investigation. Investigations under Section 193(9) of the BNSS are continuing, the statement reads. (KNC)
