‘They were involved in instigating anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests’

The Delhi police on Sunday arrested a couple with alleged links to the Khorasan module of the Islamic State (IS) from Jamia Nagar in southeast Delhi over allegations of inciting anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protests.

The police said they were alerted by the officers of the intelligence services to the suspicious activities of the couple from Kashmir planning out terror activity in the national capital.

The couple had been on surveillance for the past several months. The information was shared with the Delhi Police and they were held. The police alleged that the couple were planning to carry out suicide attacks in the country.

“Jahanjeb Sami and his wife Hina Bashir Beg are linked to Khorasan Module of the IS. The couple were apprehended from Jamia Nagar in Ohkla. They were instigating anti-CAA protests in the city,” said Pramod Singh Kushwaha, DCP (Special Cell).

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Mr. Kushwaha said the couple had moved to Delhi from Srinagar in August 2019. The husband was working with a private company, while the wife stayed home. The police had recovered incriminating material from their rented accommodation in Jamia Nagar.

Jahanjeb Sami | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The police said Jahanjeb was actively involved in the propagation of the recently published IS magazine Sawt al-Hind (Voice of India) in February 2020.

The couple came under the scanner after their activities on cyberspace were noticed by the intelligence agencies. “The couple were much active on social media and used to call India Muslims to come together and fight against the Indian government in protest against the CAA legislation,” said a police officer.

Sami has also revealed that one of his close associates, Khattab, is in fact Abdullah Basith, who is currently lodged in the Tihar jail as an undertrial in the IS-related cases.

“We are tracking down their source of funds and logistic support. We have seized their mobile phone and laptop to find out groups they had created to connect with the people. We are also questioning the landlord to find out if he had got done the police verification of the couple,” the police officer said.