Pune, 12 July 2025: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested another key wanted accused in the ISIS sleeper module case linked to Pune. The accused, Rizwan Ali alias Abu Salma alias Maula, was apprehended after being on the run for an extended period. With his arrest, the total number of individuals held in connection with this case has risen to eleven. The NIA had previously announced a reward of ₹3 lakh for any information leading to his arrest.
Rizwan was actively involved in ISIS’s anti-India conspiracy and played a crucial role in escalating the group’s terror operations within the country. The NIA's special court had already issued a non-bailable warrant against him. According to the investigation, he was engaged in planning and facilitating terrorist activities in collaboration with other radicalised individuals.
Further inquiry by the NIA revealed that Rizwan had conducted reconnaissance of potential hideouts and sensitive locations, in addition to organizing training camps for the use of firearms and making improvised explosive devices (IEDs). His arrest is considered a significant breakthrough in unearthing the broader ISIS conspiracy aimed at destabilizing national security.
Ten other accused in the same case are already in judicial custody. These individuals had reportedly come together with the intention of executing acts of terrorism and inciting communal violence. They include Mohammad Imran Khan, Mohammad Yunus Saki, Abdul Qadir Pathan, Simab Nasiruddin Qazi, Zulfikar Ali Barodwala, Shamil Nachan, Akif Nachan, Shahnawaz Alam, Abdullah Fayyaz Shaikh, and Talha Khan.
All accused have been charged under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Explosives Act, Arms Act, and the Indian Penal Code. The ISIS group is believed to be plotting to establish Islamic rule in India through violent means. In response, the NIA has broadened the scope of its investigation and continues to intensify efforts to expose the entire network behind this terror plot.