Bengaluru : A special NIA court in Bengaluru has sentenced a Maharashtra-based man to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 63,000 for maintaining links with banned terror outfits Taliban and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and allegedly recruiting youth for extremist activities.
The convicted accused has been identified as Hamraj Vorshid Sheikh. According to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), he was found to be in contact with international operatives associated with the Taliban and TTP and was allegedly involved in spreading extremist ideology among vulnerable youth.
The case was registered in April 2023 under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against Hamraj and another accused identified as Mohammed Arif. Following investigation, the NIA filed a chargesheet before the special court in October 2023.
After examining the evidence placed before it, the NIA special court convicted Hamraj Vorshid Sheikh and sentenced him to seven years of rigorous imprisonment along with a monetary penalty of Rs 63,000. Proceedings against the co-accused are still continuing.
According to the NIA investigation, Hamraj had stayed in Saudi Arabia between 2019 and 2022, during which he allegedly came in contact with individuals from Pakistan and Afghanistan who exposed him to Taliban and TTP ideology.
During interrogation, investigators reportedly discovered that Hamraj was in touch with an online handler identified as “Hamzala,” who was allegedly associated with terror networks. The probe further revealed that the handler used an Instagram account named “Kashmir Page” to radicalise and influence youths by spreading extremist and fundamentalist content online.
The NIA stated that after returning to India, Hamraj allegedly joined hands with his associate Mohammed Arif to propagate Taliban and TTP ideology among youths. Investigators found that the duo allegedly targeted financially distressed and vulnerable youngsters and attempted to motivate them to work for the terror organisations.
According to the agency, the accused were not only spreading extremist propaganda but were also allegedly preparing to form their own module with the intention of joining the TTP and carrying out “jihad” against India.
The NIA, in its official statement, described the case as part of a larger pattern involving online radicalisation and recruitment efforts by foreign terror-linked networks targeting Indian youth through social media platforms.
Officials said the investigation exposed how extremist organisations are increasingly using encrypted communication channels and online platforms to influence susceptible individuals and expand their networks across countries.
The conviction is being viewed as a significant development in ongoing efforts by central agencies to curb online radicalisation and terror recruitment activities in the country. Further investigation into the larger network and other possible links connected to the accused is continuing.
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