Pramesh S Jain
A Special Court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has sentenced Huzair Farhan Baig alias Huzair to six years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) and imposed a fine of ₹58,000 in connection with an Islamic State (IS) terror conspiracy case linked to an IS module operating in Karnataka.
The case was initially registered by the Karnataka Police on September 19, 2022,and was subsequently taken over by the NIA and re-registered on November 15, 2022.
According to the NIA,its investigation uncovered an IS module that was operating clandestinely in Thirthahalli town of Shivamogga district.
The accused were allegedly mentored and guided by an online handler using the alias “Colonel”,who was later identified as Mohammed Shaheed Faisal, an absconding accused in several NIA terror cases.
The agency said Faisal was involved in radicalising and recruiting youths to propagate the ideology of the proscribed terrorist organisation and carry out terrorist activities in India.
The NIA said Huzair Farhan Baig was radicalised and recruited by co-accused Maaz Muneer Ahmed and Syed Yasin. On Maaz’s instructions, Huzair allegedly arranged a hideout in Bengaluru for terrorist activities.
The investigation also found that Huzair received funds in the form of cryptocurrency into bank accounts belonging to his friends.
The cryptocurrency was subsequently converted into fiat currency and used to make payments for the hideout, the agency said.The funds were allegedly arranged by Maaz through the online handler.
With the latest conviction, the NIA said it has so far filed four chargesheets against 12 accused persons in the case.
Three accused have now been convicted and sentenced to six years of rigorous imprisonment each,along with fines, the agency said.
The NIA said efforts are continuing to trace and establish the whereabouts of Mohammed Shaheed Faisal,whom investigators have identified as the online handler who allegedly planned and conspired to establish the IS module.
