The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Tuesday conducted coordinated searches in Mumbra in Thane and Kondhwa in Pune as part of its ongoing investigation into a Pune-based software engineer, who was arrested for his alleged links with banned terror outfits, including Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). According to sources, the ATS also conducted searches in Kurla in the eastern suburbs of Mumbai.
Officials confirmed that two individuals were questioned during the operation. “The searches were part of the software engineer probe. Both persons were questioned and allowed to leave after nothing incriminating was found. Their identities will not be disclosed,” a senior ATS officer said.
At the Mumbra location, ATS teams searched the home of a teacher living in the Kausa area, who is associated with a local madrassa and reportedly teaches Urdu at a mosque in Kurla every Sunday. Investigators said the action was carried out following leads obtained during the probe into the techie’s alleged activities.
During the search, ATS officials allegedly seized the teacher’s mobile phone and computer hard disk for forensic examination. “We have recovered certain digital materials and are verifying online activity and contacts. The contents will be analysed before deciding the next course of action,” the officer added.
The teacher’s family later filed a complaint with local police, alleging harassment during the operation. His wife told the media, “We have no connection with any group. My husband has been unnecessarily troubled since yesterday [Tuesday].”
ATS officials clarified that the searches were not related to the recent Delhi car blast that claimed 12 lives but were part of a broader security exercise to trace potential connections to banned organisations.
Allegations against techie
Earlier, the ATS informed a Pune court that the software engineer, 37, allegedly delivered aggressive religious discourses in Kondhwa and possessed digital material referencing Al-Qaeda’s ideology. Devices seized from him contained deleted PDFs titled “Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent and All Its Manifestations,” as well as Urdu translations of Osama bin Laden’s speeches and bomb-making documents. Officials added that the investigation continues in coordination with central intelligence agencies to identify any wider network of influence or radicalisation.
