NIA takes over ISIS case from Q Branch police

The arrest of three men – Imran Khan, Mohamed Hanif Khan and Mohamed Ziad – from Bengaluru with guns and bullets was a result of an unusual investigation by Q branch into a case of issuing SIM cards based on fake documents in Kancheepuram. Q branch usually investigate cases related to extremism and terror related case.

Q branch has started the probe on December 28, 2019 and initially arrested five persons including staff of a retail seller of Airtel and one Liyakat Ali, a suspected sympathiser of ISIS, for allegedly committing forgery affixing the photographs of different persons who are not connected with the documents pertaining to the SIM card and concealing the real identity of the holder and also selling the SIM card for a higher price.

The probe later found that the some of the beneficiaries of such fraudulent act were ISIS module members. Liyakat Ali was the link between the ISIS module and the gang involved in issuing SIM cars using fake documents.