Overview

• The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Abdullah Faiyaz Shaikh and Talha Liyakat Khan at Mumbai International Airport as they returned from hiding in Jakarta, Indonesia.
• Both men had been on the run since 2022 and were wanted in connection with an ISIS sleeper cell involved in IED fabrication and terror planning in Pune, Maharashtra.
• The duo had organized and participated in a secret bomb-making workshop in Pune’s Kondhwa area, where they tested improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
• Their arrests follow extensive international coordination, including extradition efforts with Oman and intelligence tracking of their movements.
• The NIA has charged all ten accused in the case under UAPA, Explosive Substances Act, Arms Act, and IPC, with investigations into the broader ISIS-linked network ongoing.