ATS conducts raids at 19 locations in fresh action against Pune ISIS module
The coordinated operation began around midnight on Wednesday and continued until Thursday evening, with searches conducted at 19 locations, including Kondhwa, Khadak, Wanowrie, Khadki, and Bhosari
In a major development in the ongoing probe into the Pune ISIS module case, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), along with Pune City Police and central intelligence agencies, carried out extensive raids across multiple parts of the city.
The coordinated operation began around midnight on Wednesday and continued until Thursday evening, with searches conducted at 19 locations, including Kondhwa, Khadak, Wanowrie, Khadki, and Bhosari. One of the locations raided was Ashoka Mews Society in Kondhwa, previously known for being a hub of Indian Mujahideen activities, and where a “control room” of the banned outfit was busted in 2008.
A large police contingent was deployed in these areas during the operation. Officials confirmed that electronic devices, including hard drives, pen drives, documents, and other materials, were seized. While a few individuals have been detained for questioning, authorities have not disclosed their identities or confirmed any arrests.
“Verification of the individuals is underway,” an ATS official said, adding that the investigation could widen based on emerging intelligence.
The latest operation is closely linked to the ongoing investigation into the alleged Pune ISIS module, which came to light in July 2023. At that time, Pune police had apprehended three men—Mohammed Shahnawaz Alam (31), Mohammed Yusuf Khan (25), and Mohammed Yunus Yakub Saki (27) from the Kothrud area on suspicion of vehicle theft. Alam, a native of Jharkhand, later escaped custody during a house search in Kondhwa but was rearrested by Delhi Police in October 2023.
During the search of their residence, police had seized suspicious items including drone components, white powder later identified as explosive material, a pistol pouch, and a live cartridge. The three were soon linked to the ISIS-affiliated Al Sufa terrorist gang. The investigation was handed over to the ATS on July 22, 2023, which invoked provisions of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Subsequent arrests in the case included individuals accused of providing logistical support, shelter, and funding to the group. Those arrested included Abdul Kadir Pathan, an IT engineer, as well as S N Kazi and Zulfikar Ali Barodawala. The ATS recovered bomb-making components and over 500 GB of digital data, including photographs of key locations in Pune and Mumbai, such as the Chabad House.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the case on August 8, 2023, designating the suspects as part of a separate “Pune ISIS module”. The probe revealed that the accused had conducted bomb tests in isolated areas of Pune, Satara, and Kolhapur, and were sharing “Do-It-Yourself (DIY)” kits for assembling improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and small arms.
In April 2023, three key suspects—Saki, Alam, and Barodawala—allegedly executed an armed robbery in Satara, looting around ₹1 lakh from a local sari shop owner. The funds, the ATS claims, were partially used for procuring components for bomb-making and financing terror activities. All three were arrested by the ATS in March 2024.
Following the arrests, the NIA filed its first chargesheet in November 2023 against seven accused, including Khan, Saki, Pathan, Kazi, Barodawala, Akif Nachan, and Shamil Nachan. In March 2024, the agency filed a supplementary chargesheet against Shahnawaz Alam and three others: Rizwan Ali from Delhi, Abdulla Faiyaz Shaikh alias Daiperwala, and Talha Liyakat Khan from Kondhwa.
Rizwan Ali was arrested by Delhi Police in August 2024 and later transferred to NIA custody. In May 2025, Shaikh and Talha were intercepted at Mumbai International Airport upon their return from Jakarta, where they had been hiding. Talha was later arrested in June this year by the ATS for his involvement in the Satara robbery and alleged terror funding activities.
