The Indian Coast Guard and the Gujarat ATS have achieved a major breakthrough against an international drug smuggling network in Gujarat. In a joint operation, the two agencies seized drugs worth approximately ₹3,000 crore from a boat in the Arabian Sea.

Five Pakistani nationals have been arrested in connection with this operation. A total of 526 kilograms of narcotics were recovered from the boat. The arrested individuals are currently being interrogated.

The Indian Coast Guard and Gujarat ATS busted a major drug smuggling network through this joint operation in the Arabian Sea.

Acting on intelligence inputs, the agencies intercepted a suspicious boat at sea. A search of the vessel yielded 526 kilograms of narcotics, estimated to be worth around ₹3,000 crore in the international market.

Five Pakistani nationals on board the boat were arrested during the operation. All the accused are being questioned. Investigative agencies are working to determine the origin of the drug consignment and its intended destination within India.

Efforts are also underway to identify other individuals involved in this network.

Further investigation into the matter is currently ongoing. Details regarding the entire drug supply chain and other individuals linked to the international smuggling network will only be revealed after the investigation concludes.

The Bombay High Court today paved the way for the release of a 65-year-old man who has been imprisoned for the past fifteen years on terrorism charges. A division bench comprising Justice Sarang Vijaykumar Kotwal and Justice Ranjit Sinha Raja Bhonsle granted the accused, Kafeel Ahmed, permission to present a surety from outside Maharashtra; the Court had previously ordered him to produce a local resident as a surety. Kafeel Ahmed had filed a petition in the Bombay High Court through the Jamiat Ulama-e-Maharashtra (Arshad Madani) Legal Aid Committee. During today’s hearing, Advocate Mateen Shaikh informed the Court that despite being granted bail nearly a year ago, the accused remains compelled to endure the hardships of imprisonment because he hails from Bihar and has no one in Maharashtra to stand as his surety. Advocate Mateen Shaikh further informed the court that the accused is 65 years old and is already suffering from various ailments while in prison; therefore, the conditions of his bail should be modified. Initially, the court expressed reluctance, noting that the accused faced serious charges and thus the bail conditions could not be altered; however, after hearing Advocate Mateen Shaikh’s arguments, the court granted relief to the accused. This decision was made despite strong opposition from the public prosecutor regarding the modification of bail conditions. It is worth noting that two weeks ago, the son of the accused, Kafeel Ahmed, met with Maulana Haleemullah Qasmi, President of Jamiat Ulama-e-Maharashtra, to request his elderly father’s release from prison; subsequently, a petition was filed in the Bombay High Court, which was heard today. Kafeel Ahmed is accused of involvement—alongside other co-accused—in the 13/7 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case, which involved explosions at three different locations in the city. Charges were framed against Kafeel Ahmed and the other eleven accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)—including Sections 302, 307, 326, 325, 324, 379, 109, and 120-B—as well as under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Explosive Substances Act, and the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). The Jamiat Ulama-e-Maharashtra Legal Aid Committee is providing legal assistance to the accused facing charges in this case: Naqi Ahmed Wasi Ahmed, Nadeem Akhtar Ashfaq Shaikh, Haroon Abdul Rashid Naik, Kafeel Ahmed Mohammad Ayub Ansari, Asadullah Akhtar Javed Akhtar (alias ‘Haddi’), Syed Ismail Afaq Alim Lanka, Saddam Hussain Feroz Khan, and Zain-ul-Abideen Abdul Razzaq. Advocates Abdul Wahab Khan, Sharif Shaikh, Hasnain Qazi, and others are appearing in the Sessions Court to represent the accused.

In Mumbai, the Rashtriya Muslim Manch broke the lock placed by the MIM on Khilafat House. Chanting slogans of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” female students and activists from the Rashtriya Muslim Manch broke the lock and entered the premises. Previously, former MLA Waris Pathan had locked Khilafat House; a verbal altercation had also occurred at the time between Pathan and Sarfaraz Arzu, the trustee and acting president of Khilafat House. Today, by breaking the lock, the Rashtriya Muslim Manch declared Pathan’s action illegal, questioning his authority to lock the premises.

Waris Pathan stated that since Khilafat House is registered with the Waqf Board and is Waqf property, he had locked it in protest to halt construction work. Meanwhile, Sarfaraz Arzu had challenged the claim that it was Waqf property, demanding that the Waqf deed be produced. Pathan had locked the Byculla-based Khilafat House following a notice from the Waqf Board, but today, the Rashtriya Muslim Manch broke that lock and entered the building. Sarfaraz Arzu announced plans to construct a high-rise building at the site, which would house a hospital and a college. Although the property is embroiled in a dispute regarding its status as Waqf property, the Khilafat House administration has refused to acknowledge it as such, even though the Waqf Board has issued a notice and demanded relevant records. Waris Pathan had locked the Khilafat House to halt construction work there; it has been opened today.