NIA Arrests Two ISIS Pune Sleeper Module Absconders at Mumbai Airport
NIA arrests two ISIS-linked absconders at Mumbai Airport in Pune sleeper module case; duo wanted for IED fabrication and terror conspiracy: NIA head office image for representation
New Delhi, May 17, 2025 – In a significant breakthrough, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two absconders linked to the ISIS Pune sleeper module case at Mumbai International Airport. The accused, identified as Abdullah Faiyaz Shaikh @ Diaperwala and Talha Khan, were intercepted by the Bureau of Immigration at Terminal 2 while attempting to re-enter India from Jakarta, Indonesia, where they had been evading arrest.
The duo had been on the run for over two years and were wanted in NIA case RC-05/2023/NIA/MUM, related to the fabrication and testing of IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) in Pune, Maharashtra. The NIA Special Court, Mumbai, had issued non-bailable warrants against them, and a cash reward of ₹3 lakh each was announced for information leading to their capture.
Terror Conspiracy to Destabilize India
The arrested individuals were part of a sleeper cell working under the banned ISIS terror organization. Along with eight other arrested members, they had conspired to carry out terrorist acts aimed at disrupting India’s peace and communal harmony. Their objective was to wage war against the Government of India in furtherance of ISIS’s agenda to establish Islamic rule through violence.
IED Fabrication & Bomb-Making Workshops
Investigations revealed that Abdullah Faiyaz Shaikh had rented a house in Kondhwa, Pune, where the accused assembled IEDs. Between 2022-2023, they conducted a bomb-making workshop and even carried out a controlled explosion to test a fabricated IED.
The NIA had earlier chargesheeted all 10 accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Explosive Substances Act, Arms Act, and IPC. The other arrested members include Mohammed Imran Khan, Mohammed Yunus Saki, Abdul Kadir Pathan, Simab Nasiruddin Kazi, Zulfikar Ali Barodawala, Shamil Nachan, Akif Nachan, and Shahnawaz Alam.
NIA Arrests 2 Absconders in ISIS Pune Sleeper Module Case from Mumbai Airport pic.twitter.com/B6q5iVOcTD
— NIA India (@NIA_India) May 17, 2025
Continued Investigations
The NIA remains committed to dismantling ISIS-linked terror networks in India and thwarting their anti-India operations. Further investigations in the case are ongoing.
