NIA arrests 13 in IMK terror case across Assam, Bengal, Keralam

The NIA has arrested 13 accused in a multi-state terror probe linked to Imam Mahmuder Kafila (IMK), an offshoot of JMB. The arrests were made during searches across Assam, West Bengal, and Keralam in an ongoing terror conspiracy case.

NIA Arrests 13 in Multi-State Terror Probe

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday arrested 13 accused during multi-state search operations carried out at 16 places in connection with its ongoing investigation into Imam Mahmuder Kafila (IMK), an offshoot of terror outfit Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, terror conspiracy case.

The accused were held following day-long searches conducted across Assam, West Bengal and Keralam. Of the 13 accused, eight were arrested from Assam, four from West Bengal and one from Keralam. NIA claimed to have seized digital devices, including mobile phones, pen drives and memory cards from the possession of the accused.

Background of the Investigation

The case originates from the arrest of 11 accused persons by Assam Police on December 28, 2025, from various districts of Assam, West Bengal and Tripura. Special Task Force (STF) had registered a case on December 30, 2025, against 35 accused for an online radicalisation module operated through the "Purva Akash" Telegram group by Bangladesh-based handlers of IMK. These 11 accused were chargesheeted on June 25, 2026 and remain in judicial custody.

NIA subsequently took over the case and filed a chargesheet against these 11 accused persons under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, before the NIA Special Court in Guwahati, Assam.

Details of the Terror Conspiracy

NIA's investigation had revealed the active involvement of the accused in the conspiracy of IMK, a manifestation of JMB, to expand the terror outfit's ideology in West Bengal and the north-eastern states of India.

NIA said the conspiracy involved promotion of the terrorist organisation's extremist agenda, radicalisation of vulnerable youth, and expansion of the outfit's network in India.

Investigations by the anti-terror agency showed that JMB's senior member Imam Mahmud Habibullah had established IMK to promote the banned outfit's agenda on Indian soil.

NIA's investigation further revealed that the accused had conspired to grow the presence of IMK/JMB in India through clandestine meetings, religious indoctrination programmes, circulation of extremist literature, and use of digital platforms for anti-India propaganda. They were promoting allegiance to the leadership of IMK/JMB.

Absconding Accused

As per the agency, 10 accused in the case remain absconding, including one Indian national and nine Bangladeshi nationals.

The anti-terror agency further said its investigation in the case (RC-01/2026/NIA/GUW) is continuing. (ANI)

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