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ISIS link: NIA takes over missing cases in Kochi

NIA Kochi unit DSP Radhakrishna Pillai will head the probe team under the supervision of SP S. Rahul.

Kochi: The National Investigation Agency has taken over the probe into the alleged radicalisation bid on a Kochi youth and submitted an FIR before a special court here.

The NIA action followed an order from the Ministry of Home Affairs on September 19. The case was earlier registered by the Palarivattom police after the youth, Abin Jacob, 25, gave a statement to the police that he was forced to get converted to Islam and join the ISIS.

An FIR was submitted on September 24 naming Mumbai native Arshid Qureshi, 45, and Palakkad native Bestin Vincent, 23, aka Yahiya as the first and second accused. Though the state police had named Rizvan Khan, 53, of Kalyan, Mumbai, as third accused, the FIR by the NIA omitted his name.

The state police had arrested Qureshi, guest relation officer of Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation, and his aide Khan from Kalyan in July last. The main accused are suspected to have IS links and admitted to have converted nearly 700 people, including Malayalis.

NIA Kochi unit DSP Radhakrishna Pillai will head the probe team under the supervision of SP S. Rahul.

As per the NIA FIR, Qureshi and Bestin forced Abin and his sister Merin to get converted to Islam and instigated them to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a terrorist organisation. The alleged attempt had taken place between August and September 2014 when Abin visited Merin who was then working in Mumbai.

The NIA is already probing the missing cases of youths reported from Palakkad, Kasargod and Nagapada in Mumbai.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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