HC dismisses NIA plea to charge Majeed with IS link

Agency says he was involved in terror attacks

In a major relief to arrested ISIS recruit Areeb Majeed, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday refused to charge him under the provision of being an active member of a banned terrorist outfit.

The HC upheld a special National Investigations Agency (NIA) court’s view that had dropped the charge of him being an active member of a banned outfit, invoked against Majeed.

A division bench of Justice Ranjit More and Justice Sadhana Jadhav heard the NIA’s appeal challenging the orders of the special court. The NIA contended that Majeed should be held guilty under this charge too, as there is enough material on record to prove it.

The central agency represented through special public prosecutor Prakash Shetty, also contended that apart from being a member of the ISIS, Majeed had also formed his own organisation in India. On the other hand, advocate Mobin Solkar, appearing for Majeed argued that the ISIS outfit was banned only after his client’s arrest. He also argued that there was no material to show that Majeed started his own organisation.

After hearing the submissions advanced, the judges upheld the view of the special court that had dropped the charge, after considering the fact that the ISIS outfit was banned post Majeed’s arrest. The judges also held that there was no prima facie material to show that Majeed had started his own organisation. Accordingly, the judges dismissed the NIA’s appeal. This has come as a major blow to the NIA.

Majeed and three other youths from Kalyan had gone to Baghdad in May 2014 as part of a group of 22 pilgrims to visit religious shrines in Iraq but later allegedly joined the banned ISIS outfit. He was arrested by the NIA in November 2014 while he was allegedly trying to ‘sneak into’ India, through Turkey. He is in judicial custody since then.

The NIA booked Majeed for joining a banned organisation and waging a war against the Government of India. The agency has also invoked several sections of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The agency in its chargesheet has claimed that Majeed was involved in several attacks perpetrated by the ISIS between August and October 2014. The NIA has also claimed that Majeed had been watching videos of the terror organisation since January 2014 and had contacted people from the group through the social media.

The NIA booked Majeed for joining a banned organisation and waging a war against India.The agency has also invoked the stringent UAPA