Kochi NIA court sentences two Coimbatore natives in IS recruitment case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court successful Kochi has sentenced Mohammed Azarudeen and Sheik Hidayatullah of Ukkadam, Coimbatore, for 8 years of rigorous imprisonment successful the Kerala-Tamil Nadu Islamic State (IS) recruitment case.

N. Seshadrinathan, the Special Judge, awarded the convicts rigorous imprisonment of 8 twelvemonth each connected 3 counts. However, the punishment shall tally concurrently, the tribunal held connected Monday (September 29, 2025).

The peculiar tribunal had recovered the 2 blameworthy of recruiting and propagating the ideology of the IS.

The 2 were recovered blameworthy of offences punishable nether Sections 38, 39 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Section 120 B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) work with Section 38 and 39 of UAPA Act.

Prosecution case

The prosecution lawsuit was that the convicts became progressive members of proscribed associations, namely IS/Daesh, which is simply a banned organisation. They got associated with IS, propagated the activities of IS, garnered enactment to IS and for that purpose, they formed a WhatsApp group, utilized societal media platform, conducted concealed classes to pull susceptible youths to IS.

They downloaded voluminous posters, videos and links that were related to IS activities displaying violence, IS training, manufacture of bombs, sidesplitting of hostages and however to usage societal media unafraid without giving country to authorities to place them and their acts. They besides downloaded videos and speeches of Islamic extremist leaders to execute their goal, the prosecution contended.