NIA court refuses bail to five IS suspects

New Delhi: A special NIA court on Monday refused to grant bail to five Islamic State (IS) suspects who were arrested for allegedly plotting a terror strike during the Ardh Kumbh Mela at Haridwar in Uttarakhand this year.

Akhlakur Rehman, Mohd Osama, Mohd Mehraz, Mohd Azeemushan and Mohsin Ibrahim Sayyed were denied bail by district judge Amar Nath, according to sources.

As per sources a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court, during in-camera proceedings, refused bail to them observing that it was not a fit case for bail.

Advocate MS Khan, appearing for the five accused, had moved their bail plea saying their further custody was not required.

The NIA had earlier told the court that during their interrogation by Delhi Police, they had disclosed name codes and mobile numbers of active members, recruiters, sympathisers and motivators of the IS involved in furtherance of activities of its ideologies using Internet-based communication, Facebook, Skype, telephones, telegram and other means, and luring youths to join the terror organisation.

They were conspiring to target the Ardh Kumbh Mela at Haridwar besides some strategic locations in Delhi, the NIA had alleged.

The agency had added that they were found to have links with a former Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorist who later went to fight for the IS.