The Special Cell of the Delhi Police revealed that Shahnawaz, a suspected ISIS terrorist who was arrested, had converted his Wife Basanti Patel to Islam. Shahnawaz, a mining engineer from the renowned Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology, was apprehended in South Delhi, along with two other individuals who were also wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) HS Dhaliwal announced during a press briefing that Shahnawaz, the primary accused, had been arrested, along with his associates Mohammad Rizwan Ashraf and Mohammad Arshad Warsi. Ashraf was captured in Lucknow, while Arshad was apprehended in Moradabad.

Police discovered bomb-making literature and other incriminating materials at Shahnawaz’s hideouts, sent by handlers based in Pakistan. The recovered materials included explosives-related items like elementary substances, plastic tubes, and iron pipes, as well as a pistol, cartridges, and bomb-making literature from Pakistan.

It was revealed that these suspects had conducted extensive reconnaissance in the Western Ghats region of southern India, including places like Hubbali, Dharwad, and Ahmedabad in Gujarat, to establish their hideouts.

Shahnawaz, a mining engineer, had converted his wife, Basanti Patel, to Islam, and she now goes by the name Mariam. The three suspected terrorists were produced before the court and have been remanded to seven days of police custody.

The NIA had released pictures of four terror suspects, including Shahnawaz, last month, in connection with the Pune ISIS module case. A reward of Rs 3 lakh each was announced for credible information leading to their arrest. The identity of the informants will be kept confidential.

Shahnawaz was briefly apprehended by Pune Police while attempting to steal a motorcycle in the Kothrud area of Pune. The investigation revealed that a foreign-based handler had potentially connected Shahnawaz with two other terror operatives and instructed them to carry out a terror attack.

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