Two fugitives associated with the banned terrorist organisation Islamic State (ISIS), who had been absconding for over two years, were arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) late Friday night at Mumbai’s international airport.

The accused, Abdullah Faiyaz Shaikh, also known by the alias Diaperwala, and Talha Khan, were taken into custody after landing at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Terminal 2. Officials revealed that the Bureau of Immigration intercepted them upon their return from Jakarta, Indonesia, where they had been in hiding.

The case against them is tied to a broader 2023 investigation involving a sleeper cell operating out of Pune, Maharashtra. The group had been preparing for terrorist attacks by manufacturing and testing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), with the intention of targeting India’s peace and communal stability.

Non-Bailable Warrants were Issued for Shaikh and Khan

Authorities had previously issued non-bailable warrants for Shaikh and Khan, and a cash reward of Rs 3 lakh for information leading to their arrest had been declared by the NIA. They were among the final two suspects still at large in a 10-member ISIS-linked module.

According to investigators, the two accused had rented a property in Kondhwa, Pune, which served as a base for IED development. Between 2022 and 2023, the premises were reportedly used to assemble explosive devices, conduct bomb-making workshops, and execute a controlled test blast to assess the IEDs’ effectiveness.

The NIA has already filed a chargesheet against all ten individuals, including the two newly arrested suspects, under various laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Explosive Substances Act, Arms Act, and the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Officials say the accused were part of a larger criminal plot to wage war against the Indian government in line with the ISIS ideology. The group’s mission, as outlined in the chargesheet, was to use violence and terror to enforce Islamic rule in India.

Eight More Members Already in Arrest

The eight other members of the sleeper module already in judicial custody have been identified as Mohammed Imran Khan, Mohammed Yunus Saki, Abdul Kadir Pathan, Simab Nasiruddin Kazi, Zulfikar Ali Barodawala, Shamil Nachan, Akif Nachan, and Shahnawaz Alam.

With the arrests of Shaikh and Khan, the NIA has now rounded up all ten individuals accused in the Pune ISIS module case. Officials emphasised that the arrests are part of the agency’s continuing crackdown on radical terror elements operating covertly within the country.