The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has made the fifth arrest in connection with the Maharashtra ISIS module case, targeting individuals involved in promoting violent activities on behalf of the banned terrorist group.

Dr. Adnan Ali Sarkar, a renowned anesthesiologist, was taken into custody by NIA sleuths following a raid at his residence in Kondhwa, Pune. According to the NIA statement, this marks the fifth arrest in the registered case, with four others already in custody.

During the raid at Sarkar's residence, NIA investigators found several incriminating materials, including electronic gadgets and documents related to ISIS. The accused were allegedly part of a conspiracy to further ISIS terrorist activities, operating under various names such as Islamic State (IS), Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL), Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Daesh, Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP), ISIS Wilayat Khorasan, and Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham Khorasan (ISIS-K).

The NIA's investigations indicate that Dr. Sarkar was involved in an ISIS conspiracy through the organization's "Maharashtra ISIS module," aimed at disrupting the unity, integrity, security, and sovereignty of India and waging a war against the government.

Dr. Sarkar, with 16 years of experience in treating difficult airway and regional anaesthesia, holds an MBBS degree from BJ Government Medical College, Pune, and an MD in Anaesthesia from the same college. He is proficient in English, Marathi, Hindi, and German languages and has co-authored 18 publications with field experts.

The NIA had previously announced the dismantling of an ISIS module in Maharashtra, detaining four individuals for encouraging terrorist activities through an intelligence-led operation. The accused were allegedly involved in recruiting and training youth in fabricating improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and small weapons.

They also shared material, including "Do it yourself kits" (DIY), for the manufacture of IEDs and weapons. Additionally, they were directed by foreign-based ISIS handlers to create inflammatory media content published in the magazine 'Voice of Hind' to further the banned outfit's agenda of terror and violence.

Authorities at the hospital where Dr. Sarkar worked praised him as one of the best doctors in his field, noting that he had previously worked with another private hospital before becoming a consultant at the current one. The NIA will continue its probe into the Maharashtra ISIS module case.

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