AQIS Jharkhand Training Module Case: Delhi Police Files Charge Sheet Against Dr Ishtiyaq, 7 Others

The Delhi Police have filed a charge sheet before the Patiala House Court against 8 individuals, including Dr. Ishtiyaq of Ranchi, in connection with the Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent Jharkhand Training Module case.

The charge sheet has been filed under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Notably, three of the initially apprehended individuals have not been included in this charge sheet. A total of 11 individuals were arrested at the outset of the investigation.

Presiding over the case, Additional Sessions Judge Dr. Hardeep Kaur has scheduled the charge sheet for consideration on February 24. The accused were originally detained on August 22, 2024, in a coordinated effort by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police, with assistance from law enforcement agencies across multiple states.

The individuals formally charge-sheeted include Anamul Ansari, Shabaz Ansari, Altaf Ansari, Mohammad Rizwan, Motiur Rehaman, Mufti Rehmatullah, Faizan Ahmed, and Dr. Ishtiyaq Ahmed.

However, Arshad, Umar Farooq, and Hasan Ansari have not been included in the charge sheet. Additionally, an individual named Shahbaz Ansari was arrested at a later stage, and his case remains under active investigation.

On December 12, 2024, the Delhi High Court granted an extension of 90 days to the Delhi Police for the completion of their investigation into the AQIS Jharkhand Training Module case. This decision came after the trial court had previously denied an extension, prompting the police to challenge the order before the High Court.

Earlier, on September 12, the trial court remanded all 11 accused to judicial custody following an extensive police interrogation. The detainees are alleged to be part of a clandestine training module reportedly led by Dr. Ishtiyaq of Ranchi, Jharkhand.

According to the Delhi Police, the Special Cell, in collaboration with state police forces from Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, dismantled the AQIS-linked training network through a meticulously coordinated intelligence-driven operation. Authorities claim that the module, purportedly led by Dr. Ishtiyaq, was engaged in ideological radicalization and paramilitary-style training with the objective of establishing a Khilafat and orchestrating acts of terrorism within India.

During the operation, six individuals were detained in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan, while allegedly undergoing weapons training. Additionally, eight more suspects were apprehended in Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh for further interrogation.

Law enforcement agencies reportedly seized a cache of arms, ammunition, and extremist literature from multiple locations.

The recovered arsenal includes one AK-47 assault rifle, one .38 caliber revolver, six live rounds of .38 caliber ammunition, 30 live rounds of .32 caliber ammunition, 30 live rounds of AK-47 ammunition, a dummy INSAS rifle, an air rifle, an iron elbow pipe, a hand grenade, a remote-controlled detonation device, various electrical wiring components, an AA-sized 1.5-volt battery, a table clock, four ground sheets, a marked target, and a camping tent.

This case remains under close judicial scrutiny, with investigative agencies continuing their efforts to unravel the full scope of the alleged terror network.

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