17 Hijb-ut-Tahrir members chargesheeted by NIA in Madhya Pradesh

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet against 17 people associated with the Hijb-ut-Tahrir (HuT), a radical group that aims at creating a Sharia-based Islamic nation through means of violent acts, an official said on Sunday.

The charge sheet was filed in a special court under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in a case registered in Madhya Pradesh on May 9, the spokesperson of the agency said.

The chargesheeted accused are Mohammad Alam, Misbah ul Hasan, Mehraj Ali, Khalid Hussain, Syed Sami Rizvi, Yasir Khan, Salman Ansari, Syed Danish Ali, Mohammad Shahrukh, Mohammad Wasim, Mohammad Kareem, Mohammad Abbas Ali, Mohammad Hameed, Mohammad Saleem, Abdur Rahman, Sheikh Junaid and Mohammad Salman, the official said.

"Investigations revealed that the members of Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HuT) were clandestinely recruiting and building their cadre in Madhya Pradesh. It has also been established that the accused were inspired by the HuT's radical ideology, which aimed at creating a Sharia-based Islamic nation in India through the means of violent acts," the spokesperson said.

The official said they added like-minded people in their group and organised training camps.

"Their preparations included training in arms-shooting and commando tactics to their group members. Their plans and tactics extended to attacks on police personnel and targeting individuals of different communities. This dangerous intent was aimed to threaten the unity, integrity, security and sovereignty of India, with the explicit goal of striking terror among the people," the spokesperson said.