NIA special court sentences man in Bengaluru-Shivamogga IS conspiracy case

A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has sentenced Hujair Farhan Beg, also known as Hujair, to six years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of 58,000 rupees for his involvement in an Islamic State (IS) terror conspiracy.

The case originated from an investigation by the Karnataka police in September 2022, which uncovered a secret IS module operating in Tirthahalli, Shivamogga district. The investigation revealed that the module was being directed by an online handler known as ‘Colonel’, later identified as Mohammad Shahid Faisal, a fugitive wanted in several NIA terror cases. Faisal was reportedly responsible for radicalizing and recruiting youth to spread IS ideology and execute terrorist activities in India.

Evidence showed that Beg was radicalized by co-accused Maz Munir Ahmed and Syed Yasin. Under Ahmed’s direction, Beg arranged a safe house in Bengaluru for terrorist activities. The module utilized cryptocurrency, which was transferred to friends' accounts and subsequently converted into fiat currency to fund operations. To date, the NIA has filed four charge sheets against 12 accused individuals, with three already convicted and sentenced to six years of rigorous imprisonment.