Saharanpur: Uttar Pradesh ATS arrested an Imam from Saharanpur for his alleged links with a Whatsapp group run by Pakistani handlers. The Imam of a mosque in the Gangoh area was picked up by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) while he was travelling in a bus.
ATS sources said the Imam, who used to chat on a WhatsApp group run by the Pakistanis, was whisked away and taken to a secret location for interrogation soon after his arrest.
According to an ATS official, who requested anonymity, the An Anti-Terrorism Squad received inputs that a few days ago, he left the Pakistani group. At present, ATS is investigating his mobile records. Incriminating propaganda material has been found in the audio and chat found on his mobile. ATS is looking for Imam's contacts, financial transactions and other members of the WhatsApp group, sources added.
Suspicious funding possibilities and relations with foreign handlers are also being investigated. Officials are looking into Imam's connection and conversations with the members of the Pakistani group to ascertain if he has links with terrorist organisations.
Earlier, the Imam, a resident of a village in the Gangoh area, came to Saharanpur town in the afternoon for marketing. A little when he boarded a bus from Teetron Adda to return home, the ATS team arrived and took him with them. During ATS interrogation, Imam said someone had added him to the group. A few days ago, when he came to know that this was a Pakistani group, he left it, the cleric said.
According to sources, the WhatsApp group is being run by some people sitting in Pakistan, who are using social media to promote 'anti-India' activities. Through the group, efforts were being made to provoke the youth, spread fake information and spread hatred against India, sources said.
Imam's activities were being monitored for a long time. During the monitoring of his mobile phone, it was found that he was constantly active in the group. Not only this, he often talked to other members of the group about India's security system, religious issues and sensitive subjects, sources added.
Some audio clips and videos, recovered from his phone, revealed anti-India sentiments expressed by members of the group. The ATS officer said that mobile phones, some documents and other digital devices have been seized from him. All these materials have been sent for forensic investigation to ascertain who else he has contacted and whether other such networks are active in the country as well.
Preliminary investigation has also revealed that Imam was not only present in the group, but he also gave contact details to other members of the group. In this case, the ATS has prepared a list of many more suspects, who are being investigated.
According to the ATS official, this is not just a cyber crime, but a serious issue related to national security. The accused is being questioned thoroughly and several other links are being investigated based on the data found on his mobile phone. If needed, the National Security Agency (NIA) can also be involved in this case, he said. A case will be registered against Imam under the IT Act, sedition and other serious sections.
On the other hand, Imam's father has filed a kidnapping complaint in Gangoh police station. He alleged that some people riding a Scorpio forcibly took his son off the bus and took him with them. Imam and his father also have past criminal records, sources said. Many cases including fraud and conspiracy are also registered against his father. A case was registered against Imam many years ago for assault and threatening others.
