NIA Sentences Key Recruiter to Six Years in Shivamogga ISIS Case
Conviction and Sentencing Details
A special court in Bengaluru, presided over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), has sentenced Arafath Ali, the third accused in the 2022 Shivamogga ISIS Terror Conspiracy case, to six years of rigorous imprisonment. Ali, age 26, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including those related to terrorism and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Ali, a resident of Shivamogga district, was deported from Kenya in 2023. His sentence also includes penalties under Sections 18, 38, and 40 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) of 1967. Following the conviction, Ali is set to serve an additional three-year term due to time already spent in custody since 2023.
Previous Sentences and Ongoing Trials
In a related case, the court had previously sentenced two other individuals—Mohammed Zabiulla and Nadeem Faizal—to six years of rigorous imprisonment last November. The trial is currently ongoing for the remaining nine accused who have yet to enter a plea of guilty. The Shivamogga terror module, comprising primarily individuals from the Thirthahalli region, has been implicated in terrorism-related activities throughout Karnataka from 2020 to 2025.
The special court stated that “the offender / Accused No.10 is sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for a period of six (06) years and is liable to pay a fine of Rs. 5,000 for the offence punishable under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.” In case of non-payment, Ali faces an additional month of rigorous imprisonment.
Implications of the Conviction
The sentences imposed are to run concurrently. The court also noted that the period during which Ali has been in judicial custody will be counted towards his total term of imprisonment, in accordance with Section 428 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
Ali was reported to have fled the country in January 2020 to evade arrest due to apprehensions relating to a separate terror module. Allegations of his involvement in ISIS propaganda and planning terrorist acts brought him back under law enforcement scrutiny. He was arrested upon his arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, in September 2023.
Role in the ISIS Network
The NIA has characterized Ali as an active participant in the Islamic State (ISIS) network, indicating his involvement in spreading the group’s violent ideology within India. Investigations demonstrated that he played a significant role in indoctrinating vulnerable individuals into the Shivamogga ISIS module aimed at recruitment.
Arafath Ali is also co-accused in a separate case concerning provocative graffiti in Mangaluru from December 2020, which remains under trial. NIA findings suggest he incited others to create inflammatory messages in support of both ISIS and the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which intended to promote communal unrest and division.
Funding and Communication Links
The investigation by the NIA, which took over from the Karnataka Police in September 2022, uncovered that Ali was in contact with an online ISIS handler. He allegedly facilitated the flow of funding to the Shivamogga module via cryptocurrency, receiving financial support that was dispersed among co-accused individuals.
It has been reported that the online handler, referred to as ‘Colonel,’ transferred funds into the crypto wallets of accused members for the purpose of conducting terrorist activities furthering ISIS objectives.
Contextual Links to Broader Terror Activity
The Shivamogga terror module reportedly came to light following a stabbing incident in Shivamogga on Independence Day 2022. Zabiullah was arrested for his involvement in this attack, which exposed the group’s activities.
Additionally, several members of the Shivamogga module are related to ongoing investigations into larger plots, such as the 2024 Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe blast and the 2022 Mangaluru cooker blast. These connections point towards a broader network of terrorist activities spanning multiple incidents across Karnataka.
