NIA secures conviction of key accused involved in propagating ISIS ideology, raising funds
ThePrint - India · Published 7 November 2026 · Last updated
The NIA’s conviction of Adnanali Sarkar underscores India’s intensified legal crackdown on ISIS‑linked propaganda and financing networks.
Key points
- Adnanali Sarkar was sentenced by an NIA special court in Mumbai to six years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 65,000 on 7 Nov 2026.
- He was found guilty under UAPA sections 13, 18, 20, 38 and 39, and IPC sections 201 and 120‑B for unlawful activities, conspiracy and support to a terrorist organisation.
- The conviction stems from a suo motu case registered by the NIA on 28 June 2023 after a Union Home Ministry tip‑off about an ISIS conspiracy threatening India’s unity and sovereignty.
- Investigation revealed Sarkar’s role in propagating ISIS ideology, recruiting members, raising terror funds and circulating propaganda magazines such as ‘Voice of Hind’ and ‘Voice of Khurasan’.
- Five co‑accused – Tabish Nasser Siddiqui, Zulfikar Ali Barodawala (alias Lalabhai), Sharjeel Shaikh, Aakif Ateeque Nachan and Zubair Noor Mohammad Shaikh (alias Abu Nusaiba) – have been chargesheeted and remain in judicial custody.
- The trial against the remaining five accused is ongoing, with the NIA indicating broader international linkages and foreign‑based ISIS handlers.
- The government hailed the verdict as evidence of the NIA’s proactive counter‑terrorism capability and a deterrent against extremist financing.
- Opposition parties questioned the adequacy of the six‑year term, urging stricter penalties for terror financing under the UAPA.
Background
- The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was amended in 2019 to broaden definitions of terrorist activities and increase sentencing ranges.
- India’s first major ISIS‑related terror module was uncovered in 2015, leading to the establishment of the NIA’s counter‑terrorism wing in 2019.
- In 2020, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of UAPA provisions on membership and support to terrorist organisations.
- The Union Home Ministry issued a 2022 advisory on monitoring extremist propaganda circulated via digital and print media.
- The NIA’s suo motu powers, granted by the NIA (Amendment) Act 2021, allow it to register cases without a formal complaint when national security is at stake.
UPSC relevance, Prelims facts and Mains angle for this issue are in the full SWAदेSH note.
Original report: ThePrint - India