New Delhi, September 28 (Daily Kiran) : A special court in New Delhi delivered sentences on Monday to four individuals involved in the ‘Voice of Hind’ terror conspiracy linked to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The National Investigation Agency (NIA) reported that Umar Nisar, also known as Qasim Khurasani, Ramiz Ahmed Lone, and Tanveer Ahmed Bhat each received six years of rigorous imprisonment. Afshan Parvez Zarabi was sentenced to five years.
In addition to their prison sentences, the court imposed fines on the defendants: Umar Nisar was fined ₹36,000, Ramiz Ahmed Lone ₹31,000, Tanveer Ahmed Bhat ₹23,000, and Afshan Parvez Zarabi ₹9,000. All sentences will run concurrently.
The court had previously found the four guilty on September 17, convicting them under various charges, including criminal conspiracy and offenses under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The NIA’s investigation revealed that the case involved the dissemination of ISIS-related material, radicalizing youth, recruiting them, and furthering the activities of the banned terrorist organization. The conspiracy aimed to recruit young individuals in India and incite them to engage in violent activities against the country.
According to the NIA, individuals linked to ISIS operating in conflict zones collaborated with their associates in India to establish a network using fake online identities. This network was utilized for spreading ISIS propaganda. The agency claimed that alongside online activities, there were also efforts related to terrorist funding on the ground.
The investigation uncovered that members of this network were involved in creating, editing, publishing, and disseminating content for the India-focused ISIS propaganda magazine ‘Saut-al-Hind’ (Voice of Hind) through online platforms.
Additionally, the NIA found that the network facilitated and encouraged Indians to travel to regions affected by ISIS, including Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
During the investigation, the agency seized a significant amount of incriminating documents and digital content. This included PDFs of ‘Voice of Hind,’ posters of deceased terrorists, extremist materials, web links related to ISIS propaganda, T-shirts bearing the ISIS flag, and communications about acquiring weapons.
The court recognized the distinct roles played by each of the four convicted individuals. Umar Nisar was identified as actively spreading ISIS-related content through the magazine and Telegram, while Ramiz Ahmed Lone and Tanveer Ahmed Bhat promoted ISIS ideology and encouraged youth to join the organization. Afshan Parvez Zarabi was involved in publishing and disseminating articles for ‘Voice of Hind’ via Telegram channels.
The NIA has filed a primary charge sheet and four supplementary charge sheets against a total of eight accused in the case. The investigation highlighted the accused’s connections to the ‘Voice of Hind’ module and their roles in advancing the objectives of the banned terrorist organization through online activities. Proceedings against the remaining defendants are still ongoing.
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