04 June,2025 10:33 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Representational Image
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which conducted searches in Thane, including at the houses of some former functionaries and members of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), is examining the mobile phones of the suspects, officials said on Tuesday, reported news agency PTI.
The ATS team along with the Thane rural police on Monday conducted a massive search operation at Borivali and Padgha in Thane district at the residences of former office-bearer Saquib Nachan and other suspected members and sympathisers of the SIMI, an official said.
"During the operation, the ATS conducted searches at the residences of 22 persons," he said, adding that besides some incriminating material and documents related to radicalisation, the ATS had seized 19 mobile phones, reported PTI.
All those phones are being examined with the help of cyber forensic experts to ascertain their content, he said.
"As there is a possibility of the phone data being deleted by some of the suspects earlier, the ATS officials will send all these gadgets to the Forensic Science Laboratory for examination. Besides that, the ATS officials are also examining the seized material, recovered during the searches," he said, reported PTI.
Two cases under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Arms Act were registered following the searches, he said adding that the ATS will call some of the suspects for enquiry in the coming days.
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad on Monday conducted searches in Thane district, including at the houses of some former office-bearers and members of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) on the basis of specific intelligence, officials said, reported PTI.
Twelve persons were detained in these searches and then released later after detailed questioning, an official said, adding that they and others may be called later as the probe progresses.
Two cases under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Arms Act were registered following the searches in which mobile handsets, sword, knife, property documents, material used for terror activities and radicalisation of youth as well as incriminating documents were seized, he said, reported PTI.
The Thane unit of the ATS, with the assistance of the Thane rural police, started searches around 4 am at Padgha and Borivali villages in the district adjoining Mumbai, the official said.
Heavy security was deployed in the two villages, he said, adding that personnel from the ATS and Thane rural police had amassed at Padgha on Sunday night itself.
In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack on tourists, there was a need to take preventive steps against anti-national elements that can provide logistic support for terror-related activities, an ATS statement said, reported PTI.
As there were previous incidents in which persons involved in various terrorist modules were arrested from Borivali in Padgha of Thane district, the ATS had kept a strong vigil on the activities there, it stated.
(With inputs from PTI)
