Mohammad Raza was identified by the ATS as the leader of the gang that sought to establish Sharia rule in India. Four other members of the group, Akmal Raza, Safeel Salmani alias Ali Razvi, Mohammad Tausif and Qasim Ali, had already been arrested and sent to judicial custody.
The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested Mohammad Raza, the alleged mastermind of a group conspiring to form a “Mujahideen Army” to topple the Indian government through violent jihad and impose Sharia law, officials said on Tuesday.
Raza, originally from Andauli in Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh and currently residing in Mallapuram, Kerala, was arrested on September 29 and brought to Lucknow on a transit remand.
He was identified by the ATS as the leader of the gang that sought to establish Sharia rule in India. Four other members of the group, Akmal Raza, Safeel Salmani alias Ali Razvi, Mohammad Tausif and Qasim Ali, had already been arrested and sent to judicial custody.
According to the ATS, the group was influenced by radical Pakistani organisations and was allegedly collecting funds to procure arms and carry out targeted killings of prominent non-Muslim religious leaders.
Officials said money was being credited into Raza’s account to finance these activities. The group was also holding meetings at different locations and using social media to spread extremist ideology.
In its statement, the ATS said it had received intelligence that “some individuals from various districts of Uttar Pradesh, influenced by radical Pakistani organisations, were planning to overthrow the democratically elected government in India through violent jihad and impose Sharia law by force”.
It described Mohammad Raza as the mastermind of the “entire criminal and anti-national conspiracy,” adding that he was being brought to Lucknow on transit remand and would be presented before the relevant Special Court as per procedure.
