Mumbai: In a major breakthrough, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday arrested two absconding accused Abdul Fayaz Sheikh and Talha Liyakat Khan who were identified as key members of a sleeper module of the banned terrorist organization ISIS. The arrests are linked to a 2023 case involving the fabrication and testing of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Pune, Maharashtra.

The duo, who had fled the country in 2022 to evade arrest, were declared fugitives by the agency. The NIA had announced a cash reward of ₹3 lakh each for information leading to their capture. Acting on intelligence inputs, the Bureau of Immigration intercepted the accused at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Terminal 2) when they arrived from Jakarta, Indonesia, where they had been hiding. They were immediately taken into custody by the NIA team and are expected to be produced before a special NIA court shortly.  

According to investigators, the duo had meticulously planned their escape after the ISIS module operating out of Pune was busted in 2022. That crackdown led to multiple arrests, including that of Shamil Nachan, son of convicted terrorist Saquib Nachan, who had been designated the Amir-e-Hind (chief of ISIS in India).  

Sources revealed that both accused fled along with their families. Talha Khan’s wife and infant daughter left for Oman on May 2, 2022, followed by Khan himself on August 12. Likewise, Fayaz Sheikh’s wife and two children departed for Oman on June 12, while Sheikh left on July 15. Their coordinated flight with their families complicated the investigation and necessitated sustained diplomatic and intelligence cooperation with foreign agencies.  

The NIA sources stated that both Sheikh and Khan were radicalized and were working under the instructions of the Ratlam-based ISIS module “Al Sufa,” led by arrested mastermind Imran Khan. Acting on his direction, the duo played a key role in organizing a secret IED workshop in Pune and inviting other ISIS operatives to participate.  

The accused were actively involved in propagating the violent and extremist ideology of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and engaged in preparatory acts of terrorist violence, including recruiting individuals to the organization. They had also pledged allegiance (Bayat) to the self-styled Khalifa (leader) of ISIS.

According to the NIA, both Abdul Fayaz Sheikh and Talha Liyakat Khan, along with eight other members of the ISIS Pune sleeper module who are already under arrest and in judicial custody, had conspired to carry out terrorist acts aimed at disturbing India’s peace and communal harmony. The agency stated that the group intended to wage war against the Government of India in pursuit of ISIS’s radical objective of establishing Islamic rule in the country through violence and terror.

According to the NIA chargesheet, the investigation into the ISIS Pune terror module uncovered a secret workshop for the fabrication, creation, and testing of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) held at a shop owned by accused Fayaz Sheikh. Sheikh, widely known as “Diaperwala” for running a diaper store in Pune’s Kondhwa area, hosted the clandestine session in April 2022.All members of the Pune ISIS terror module including arrested accused Zulfikar Ali Barodawala, Mohammed Imran Khan, Mohammed Yunus Saki, Simab Nasiruddin Kazi, and Abdul Kadir Pathan, among others reportedly participated in the workshop.   

Arrested accused Shamil Nachan and Akif Nachan traveled to Pune carrying explosive chemicals and processed powder to participate in the IED manufacturing and training exercise. The duo stayed overnight at Sheikh’s residence along with the explosive materials during their visit.  

Another suspected absconding accused, Talha Liyakat Khan, is also a resident of Pune and is associated with Fayaz Sheikh (Diaperwala). He too is believed to be a participant in the ISIS Maharashtra terror module and played a major role in organizing the IED workshop.

According to reliable sources, both Fayaz Sheikh and Talha Liyakat Khan were radicalized and, under the instructions of the Ratlam-based ISIS terror module, “Al Sufa,” mastermind and arrested accused Imran Khan arranged the IED workshop and invited other terror suspects to participate. Once intelligence confirmed their presence in Oman, the NIA initiated extradition proceedings through the Ministry of External Affairs, sharing all necessary documentation and case files with Omani authorities. Officials believe that their custody and interrogation will help unravel the full extent of the ISIS-linked network and the group’s operational plans in Maharashtra and beyond.  

The case forms part of a broader investigation into ISIS modules operating in India, with several arrests already made and multiple digital devices, explosive materials, and radical literature seized during raids. 

Mumbai, May 17: In a major crackdown on gold smuggling, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai, arrested a Chadian national who arrived at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) from Addis Ababa, after seizing 4,015 grams of gold worth Rs 3.86 crore ingeniously concealed in the heels of his slippers.

Acting on specific Intelligence, DRI officers intercepted the male passenger shortly after his arrival in Mumbai. Upon conducting a personal search, the officers discovered multiple foreign-origin gold bars cleverly hidden inside the modified heels of the man’s slippers.

In his voluntary statement recorded by officials, the Chadian national admitted to concealing the gold in this unusual manner to bypass customs checks and evade legal detection. The gold was seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, and the passenger was placed under arrest.

Officials stated that further investigations are underway to trace the origin and intended recipients of the smuggled consignment and to determine if the incident is linked to a broader smuggling network.

This seizure adds to a growing list of recent smuggling attempts intercepted by vigilant DRI officials.

In an earlier case from April 2025, DRI Mumbai had seized foreign-origin gold worth Rs 6.30 crore from a passenger who had arrived at CSMIA from Bangkok. The gold, hidden in specially designed compartments of the passenger’s luggage, was also seized under the Customs Act, with the individual arrested immediately.

The DRI continues to maintain a strict vigil at international entry points, using a combination of Intelligence gathering and surveillance to thwart attempts at smuggling precious metals and other contraband. The agency reiterated its commitment to cracking down on such offenses, which pose a serious threat to economic stability and border security.

Mumbai: All preparations have been started in the backdrop of the import of sacrificial animals in Deonar Mandi before Eid-ul-Adha. Special arrangements have also been made for the slaughter of buffaloes and sacrificial animals in Deonar. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation has introduced an online facility for permission to slaughter sacrificial animals on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha. A coordination meeting of various agencies was held under the chairmanship of Additional Municipal Commissioner, City, Dr. Ashwini Joshi regarding the preparations for Eid.

Various elaborate arrangements at Deonar Slaughterhouse for slaughter of sacrificial animals. This year, the Mumbai Municipal Corporation has made an online facility available on the MyBMC application to apply for permission to slaughter sacrificial animals on the occasion of Eid. Also, online arrangements have been made for the import license of buffaloes and goats for the slaughter of sacrificial animals as well as ‘slot booking’ on the website https://www.mcgm.gov.in. Also, various elaborate arrangements have been made for the cattle market and the slaughter of sacrificial animals at the Deonar Slaughter House. Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. has directed that all the agencies involved in this entire system should work together to fulfill their responsibilities.

Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. reviewed the preparations made in the backdrop of Eid-ul-Azha. Ashwini Joshini reviewed the coordination meeting held at the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Headquarters. Mumbai Municipal Corporation Deputy Commissioner (Special) Chanda Jadhav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic-3) Pradeep Chavan, Assistant Commissioner (Property) Prithviraj Chauhan, Assistant Commissioner (M-East) Shri Ujjal Angule, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Deonar Division) Rajesh Babishti, along with General Manager of Deonar Reservoir Dr. Kaleem Pasha Pathan, officers from various departments of Mumbai Municipal Corporation, Police Force, Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of Maharashtra, Mumbai Veterinary College, Kora Centre, Department of Legal Metrology, Adani Electricity and other agencies were present on the occasion.