CHENNAI - The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has assumed control of the investigation into a case previously registered by the Chennai police against members of Hizb-Ut-Tahrir (HuT), a radical Islamist organization.
The accused, including Dr. Hameed Hussain, the group's chief coordinator, along with his father and brother, are alleged to have held clandestine meetings in Chennai to propagate the organization's ideology and to have conducted a statewide campaign advocating for the establishment of Islamic rule in India.
The NIA's First Information Report (FIR) states that the accused were acting against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country by promoting divisive ideologies.
In addition to Hameed Hussain, his father Ahamed Manossor, brother Abdul Rahman, and associates Mohamed Maurice, Khader Nawaz, and Ahmed All Umari have been named as accused in the case.
The NIA alleges that the accused held meetings at a hall in Royapettah to disseminate their ideology as part of a wider campaign to establish Islamic rule. The case was initially registered by the Central Crime Branch of the Chennai police on May 21 under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, leading to the arrest of the accused.
The decision to transfer the case to the NIA was made by the Union government, citing the gravity of the offense and its potential international and national ramifications, as well as interstate links.
Hizb-ut-Tahrir is a global Islamist organization that advocates for the establishment of a worldwide caliphate. It has been banned in several countries, including Bangladesh, Germany, Russia, and Turkey. The organization has been accused of promoting extremist ideologies and inciting violence.
