Pune, July 29, 2023: In a significant breakthrough in the fight against terrorism, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) achieved a major success by apprehending Dr. Adnanali Sarkar, an anesthesiologist working at a renowned hospital in Pune.
According to the investigation, Dr. Sarkar is believed to be the leader of the Maharashtra module of ISIS and has been actively involved in inciting and recruiting young individuals for the terrorist organization.
The NIA conducted a raid at Dr. Sarkar’s residence in Kondhwa on Thursday, where they seized crucial evidence, including a laptop, hard disk, SIM card, and documents related to ISIS. Preliminary investigations have shed light on his pivotal role in propagating the terrorist ideology and recruiting vulnerable individuals into the extremist group.
The activities of the Maharashtra-based group have raised serious concerns as they have been actively engaged in recruiting youth for ISIS’s terrorist activities. Prompted by the received intelligence, the NIA executed coordinated operations in Mumbai, Thane, and Pune, leading to the arrest of four individuals. Among those apprehended were Tabish Nasser Siddiqui from Mumbai, Zubair Noor Mohammad Sheikh from Pune, and Abu Nusaiba and Sharjeel Sheikh, along with Zulfikar Ali Badodawala from Thane.
During interrogation, Dr. Sarkar’s deep involvement in disseminating the terrorist ideology of ISIS came to light. It was revealed that he had been actively working towards inciting young minds and luring them into engaging in terrorist acts over the past few years.
Subsequent to his arrest, Dr. Sarkar was presented before a special court in Mumbai on Friday (July 28), where the court ordered him to be held in NIA custody until August 8 for further investigation.
Dr. Adnan Ali Sarkar, a seasoned anaesthetist with fifteen years of experience, was employed at Noble Hospital in the Hadapsar area. Despite holding a prominent position within the medical field, having graduated from BJ Government Medical College in Pune, he was secretly involved in propagating the dangerous ideology of ISIS. The ongoing investigation has brought to light the alarming extent to which he had been involved in radicalizing the youth and involving them in terrorist activities, the agency said. The arrest of Dr. Sarkar represents a significant step towards curbing terrorist activities and maintaining the security and safety of the region.
