ISIS Maharashtra module: ‘Saquib Nachan had conducted weapons’ training after release’

Saquib Nachan after his release from prison. File pic/AP

Saquib Nachan - a former member of a banned terror organisation and a convict in the 2002-03 Mulund blast case - allegedly conducted weapons training, including with AK47 rifles, in his village in Padgha, Thane, following his bail in the case. This has been revealed by another ex-SIMI member in his statement to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Last week, the NIA arrested Nachan in a significant operation against the ISIS Maharashtra module, apprehending a total of 15 suspects.

According to the former SIMI member's statement to the NIA, he joined the terror outfit at the age of 17-18 and served as an ‘Ansar' (a helper, or the one who brings victory) for nearly 13 years. He faces five cases, including the Kalyan SIMI member case in which he was acquitted. He is accused in the Mulund train blast case, and the trial is ongoing, as per his statement. Additionally, he is facing trial in the McDonald's Mumbai Central blast case and the Vile Parle Sabzi Mandi blast case, but he was discharged in the Ghatkopar bus blast case.

"I state that Saquib Nachan is a well-known SIMI leader and was arrested in Tariq Guzar murder case. When I got bail in 2001 in the SIMI member case, Hassib Mulla asked me to help Nachan in Adhar Wadi, Kalyan jail, for food etc. I told him that I have relations with the police staff and I helped Nachan in jail. After 3-4 months, Nachan was released and called me to Padgha for a meeting. In that meeting, Nachan told me that he wanted some strong boys for weapons training. I gave him two names - Kamil Jamil Shaikh and Danish Akbar Ullekh. After a week I took both to Padgha," the witness and former SIMI member's statement to the NIA reads.

‘Wanted a room in Kalyan'

He further told the NIA that in mid-2002, Sadik Khopoli visited his house along with one more person and asked for a bag saying some money was to come in "I gave him a big bag and a SIM card. After 2-3 days Saquib Nachan and Hasib Mulla came to Pathare Nursery, Kalyan, and said they wanted a room, but it shouldn't be located close to my home. I got a room at Kongaon, Bhiwandi, and Nachan gave R30,000 as a deposit, and the rent was R1,500." According to the witness, around 2-3 days after the room was taken on rent, Nachan to Pathare Nursery and told him that a guest would be coming to stay at the rented house. "Nachan said we had to pick up the guest but that he wouldn't go himself. He said Kamil Jamil Shaikh would pick him up and take him to the rented room."

The witness said after 2-3 days, Nachan came to Kalyan and told him that the guest had arrived at Gurudev Hotel and to send Kamil to pick up him. "I called Kamil but he said that was not in the area and going to Kalyan court. Nachan then asked me to pick up the guest and drop him at the room in Kongaon Bhivandi. Then Nachan, Hasib Mulla and I went to Gurudev Hotel and I saw that the guest was the same person who came to my home with Sadik Khopoli. He saw me and smiled at me. I then dropped him at the room. In the evening, Kamil and I purchased necessary household items and took them over to him. He gave me his phone number and asked me to call only from a ‘coin box' public phone located far away from my home," he said.

He further revealed that the guest had told Kamil that many people in the area know Akbar Ali Khotal and so to shift him to another room located in some non-Muslim area so that no one would recognise him. Kamil then rented a room in Kolsewadi, Kalyan East. "Then in 2003 there was a blast in Mulund and the society office bearers questioned the watchmen about who gave the room on rent without seeking permission from the society. "The watchmen told him that the society office bearers were asking about me so he then shifted to the earlier room in Bhiwandi again," the statement reads.

The witness told the NIA that a couple of days later, Nachan called and informed him that the guest had been arrested and said to disown the man in case the police asked. "Thereafter, I received a call from my friend Tanvir, telling me not to come to the area as there were many police personnel at my house. I switched off my cell phone, went to Ratnagiri and stayed there for a month. Then I got to know from newspapers that Saquib Nachan had surrendered and had been arrested. Later, I was arrested from Harne bander Dapoli."

Meanwhile, Nachan completed his prison term in 2017 and was released. Agencies disclosed that he remained under surveillance post-release due to his prior activities. The Maharashtra ATS, initially investigating the ISIS module case, transferred it to the NIA as links to Padgha surfaced. After an in-depth investigation into the Maharashtra ISIS module, the NIA uncovered links to Nachan's son Shamil, leading to his arrest earlier this year. Shamil - according to the charge sheet - was involved in the conspiracy, contributing through handwritten notes on making IEDs and participating in meetings in Kondhwa.

The NIA now asserts that Mohd. Saquib Abdul Hamid Nachan - also known as Raveesh, Saqeeb, and Khalid - the primary accused and self-declared leader, assumed the authority to administer the ‘bayath' (oath of allegiance to the caliphate of ISIS) to those joining the proscribed organisation. The arrest of Nachan has surprised Mumbai Police, as they were unaware of his ISIS links despite monitoring his activities. The NIA discovered that Nachan and his son utilised SIM cards procured using the documents of family members, workers, or friends. The arrest of Shamil allowed the NIA to establish a connection to his father.

Other arrested accused

The other accused arrested by the NIA last week have been identified as Hasib Zuber Mulla (alias Haseeb Zubair Mulla), Kashif Abdul Sattar Balere, Saif Ateeque Nachan, Rehan Ashfaque Suse, Shagaf Safiq Divkar, Firoz Dastagir Kuwari, Adil Iliyas Khot, Firoz Dastagir Kuwari, Adil Iliyas Khot, Musab Haseeb Mulla, Rafil Abdul Latif Nachan, Yahya Ravish Khot, Razil Abdul Latif Nachan, Farhan Ansar Suse, Mukhlis Maqbool Nachan and Munzir Abubakar Kunnathpeedikal. All of them originally hail from Thane district.

The NIA, in its recent statement, claimed that during the raids, huge amounts of unaccounted cash, firearms, sharp-edged weapons, incriminating documents, smartphones and other digital devices were seized. The seizures included one pistol, two air guns, eight swords/knives, two laptops, six hard disks, three CDs, 38 mobile phones, 10 magazines/books, Rs 68,03,800 in cash and 51 Hamas flags.

2017
Year Nachan was released from jail