NIA raids 20 locations in 10 states in terror funding, AQIS-ISIS case
Synopsis
The NIA's simultaneous strike across ten states on 8 July is the operational face of a case that stretches from a single arrest in Vijayawada in March to a 12-accused FIR spanning eight states — with alleged AQIS and ISIS expansion, a foreign handler, and a hawala trail now reaching a cosmetics businessman in Bulandshahr.
Key Takeaways
The NIA conducted simultaneous raids at 20 locations across 10 states on 8 July in a terror conspiracy and funding case.
The operation stems from the 22 March arrest of Mohammed Rehmatulla Sharif by Vijayawada Police .
In Bulandshahr, UP , cosmetics businessman Abdul Qadir and brothers Faisal and Bilal were raided; large amounts of cash were reportedly found.
Five individuals were arrested in April; the FIR names 12 accused under UAPA, BNS , and the IT Act .
Accused allegedly worked to expand AQIS and ISIS activities in India on the direction of foreign handler Al-Hakeem Shukoor .
The group allegedly formed 'Al-Malik Islamic Youth' and was reportedly trying to incite youth to carry out suicide attacks.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), supported by police and central security forces, on Wednesday, 8 July launched simultaneous searches at 20 locations across ten states — Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi, Bihar, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat, Telangana, and West Bengal — in connection with a terror conspiracy and funding case, officials said. The sweeping operation is linked to an NIA investigation registered at its Visakhapatnam (VSKP) branch.
What Triggered the Raids
The investigation traces back to 22 March, when Vijayawada Police apprehended a radicalised individual identified as Mohammed Rehmatulla Sharif. The case was subsequently transferred to the NIA, which widened its probe to map alleged networks spanning multiple states. Investigators say the accused were working to expand the activities of AQIS (Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent) and ISIS inside India, allegedly on the direction of a foreign handler identified as Al-Hakeem Shukoor.
Key Developments Across States
The raids are distributed across five locations in Uttar Pradesh, four in Andhra Pradesh, three in Maharashtra, two in Delhi, and one each in Bihar, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat, Telangana, and West Bengal. In Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, NIA teams raided the residences of cosmetics businessman Abdul Qadir and his two brothers, Faisal and Bilal, who are accused of hawala transactions, terror funding, and money laundering. According to officials, large amounts of cash were reportedly recovered from the premises, and note-counting machines were requisitioned. Police from two stations have been deployed outside the house, with the area sealed to prevent entry or exit.
In Andhra Pradesh's Vijayawada, NIA officials launched searches in the Vinchipeta area, while a separate team from Visakhapatnam simultaneously raided three locations, including the Inta Rodi neighbourhood, where the area has been cordoned off by security agencies.
Accused and Charges
In April, five individuals were arrested in connection with the case: Mohammad Rahamatullah Sharif, 23; Md. Danish, 27; and Mirza Sohail Baig, 23 — all residents of Vijayawada — along with Sayeeda Begum, 38, from Hyderabad, and Abdul Salam from Bellary, Karnataka. According to investigators, the accused had shared details of alleged plans to carry out terror activities in India.
The accused had reportedly formed a group called 'Al-Malik Islamic Youth' and confessed to holding Jihadi tendencies that were allegedly reinforced after contact with handler Shukoor. They were, according to investigators, also attempting to incite youth to carry out suicide attacks. A case has been registered against them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and the Information Technology Act at Vijayawada Two Town Police Station. The FIR names 12 accused from multiple states.
Scope of the Investigation
Wednesday's raids are aimed at establishing whether the accused had links with additional individuals or organisations beyond those already identified. The NIA is conducting searches at residences of the accused to map the full extent of the alleged network. This is among the larger multi-state NIA operations in recent months, reflecting the agency's stated focus on dismantling cross-state terror financing pipelines.
Further developments are expected as the searches continue and the agency processes recovered material and financial records.
Point of View
And a group claiming allegiance to both suggests ideological fluidity that complicates standard profiling. The NIA's ability to convert the Vijayawada arrest into a multi-state FIR within months reflects improved inter-agency coordination, but the real test is prosecution — UAPA cases have a high charge-sheet rate but a historically low conviction rate, a gap that accountability reporting must continue to track.
NationPress
8 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NIA terror funding case that triggered the 8 July raids?
The case is a terror conspiracy and radicalisation investigation registered at the NIA's Visakhapatnam branch, originating from the arrest of Mohammed Rehmatulla Sharif by Vijayawada Police on 22 March. Investigators allege the accused were working to expand AQIS and ISIS activities in India under the direction of a foreign handler named Al-Hakeem Shukoor.
How many locations were raided and in which states?
The NIA conducted simultaneous searches at 20 locations across ten states on 8 July: five in Uttar Pradesh, four in Andhra Pradesh, three in Maharashtra, two in Delhi, and one each in Bihar, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Gujarat, Telangana, and West Bengal.
Who are the key accused in this case?
Five people were arrested in April: Mohammed Rehmatulla Sharif (23) and Mirza Sohail Baig (23) of Vijayawada, Md. Danish (27) also of Vijayawada, Sayeeda Begum (38) of Hyderabad, and Abdul Salam of Bellary, Karnataka. The FIR names 12 accused in total from multiple states.
What were the accused allegedly planning?
According to investigators, the accused had formed a group called 'Al-Malik Islamic Youth' and allegedly planned to carry out terror activities in India, expand AQIS and ISIS networks, and incite youth to conduct suicide attacks, all reportedly at the direction of foreign handler Al-Hakeem Shukoor.
What laws have been invoked against the accused?
The case has been registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and the Information Technology Act at Vijayawada Two Town Police Station.
