Delhi Special Cell, Mumbai ATS arrest SIMI terrorist absconding for 18 years

NEW DELHI: A terrorist, belonging to banned Islamist terror group Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) was arrested in a joint operation conducted by Delhi Special Cell Police and Mumbai's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Friday night.

The terrorist, identified as Illayas, is a relative of banned terror organisation The Indian Mujahideen's chief  Abdul Subhan Qureshi who is now under Delhi Police's Special Cell custody since 2018. The Indian Mujahideen was declared a terrorist organisation on June 4, 2010, and banned by the government.

A Mumbai ATS team had arrived at Delhi on Thursday, after receiving intel on the whereabouts of  Illayas. In a joint operation, the Delhi Special Cell Police and Mumbai ATS teams raided a location in Delhi's Shahin Bagh and nabbed the terrorist.

He was produced in court on Saturday where Mumbai ATS was granted his custody for three days. The team took him to Mumbai to interrogate him further.

Illayas has been absconding for the last 18 years and is said to be the brother-in-law of Qureshi.