By Express News Service

KOCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday took a man into custody for allegedly forcing his wife to convert to Islam and attempting to sell her to the Islamic State terrorists.

A Kannur-native, Muhammad Riyaz Rasheed, who is the first accused in the case, was intercepted at the Chennai airport.

"He (Riyas) arrived from Jeddah via Colombo. We had information about his arrival and intercepted him upon landing. We are interrogating him at our office in Chennai. His arrest has not been recorded," an NIA officer said.

The NIA would record the arrest of Riyas on Friday evening. He would be taken to Kochi on Saturday where he would face trial.

The complainant in the case is a 25-year-old woman from Kerala. She is currently residing in Gujarat.

She alleged that Muhammed Riyas Rasheed, the accused, raped her and recorded her objectionable photos/videos on his phone. She accused him of deceiving her into a relationship with her, following which, he allegedly forced her to convert to Islam. He took her to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia in August last year, in a bid to sell her off to the IS terrorists.

Riyaz is also accused of creating a fake passport.

The police have found that he received funds and other support from a third party to commit these crimes.

The victim approached the Kerala High Court in December last year, seeking an NIA probe into the case.

Besides Riyaz, the other accused persons in the case are: Madhiyadath House, Peruvaram Mannam, (2) Nahas Abdulkhader, Green House, Perigadi, Kannur, (3) Muhammed Nazish T K; Safal, Perigadi, (4) Abdul Muhasin K., Aleema Villa, Perigadi Kannur, (5) Danish Najeeb, R. T. Nagar, Bangalore, (6) Gazila, Diamond Street, Bangalore, (7) Fawas Jamal, Madhiyadathu House, Peruvaram, (8) Moin Patel, R T Nagar, Bangalore and (9) Iliyas Mohammed and Siyad of North Paravoor.

Fawas and Siyad were arrested by the Kerala Police in December before the NIA took over the probe.