New Delhi: The Maharashtra Police on Monday said that Indian national Sheikh Nabi Ahmed, who was arrested in Pakistan last week for carrying ‘incomplete documents’, could be a member of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).
According to a news web portal, the police said that Ahmed was on their radar since 2005-06 and they were in touch with the Central government to get more details.
Maharashtra ATS, in a statement issued on Monday evening, said, “As gathered from the news, one Indian national called Nabi has been detained by Pakistan authorities for not having proper documentation. From available records, there is one Nabi who has figured in the interrogation of people connected with SIMI in 2005-06. It is not known whether he is the same Nabi. We are in touch with the Government of India for getting further details.”
Nabi, alias Taj Ahmed Raees Sheikh, is believed to be an Indian who was associated with a local terror module on the radar of the police, the report said.
Pakistan had claimed on Sunday that Nabi was arrested for ‘overstaying’. However, Maharashtra Police were quoted as saying that he had crossed over to Pakistan in 2006 for terror training, and joined an anti-India extremist group there.
6 months after he left home, Nabi informed his family that he was in Pakistan, said the report. But his family did not file a missing persons complaint.
The report quoted Maharashtra Police sources as saying that ‘Bada Imran’ and ‘Chhota Imran’ were two other members who were recruited for the Pakistani terror module.
“We are in touch with the Ministry of External Affairs, and are providing them details about his antecedents in Mumbai,” police officials were quoted as saying.
Nabi was arrested from F-8 area of Islamabad for not having complete travel documents, A Pakistani news channel reported on Sunday.
An official of the Indian High Commission, however, said that the mission does not have any information about the arrest so far.
A case has been filed against him and he has been sent to jail on judicial remand for 14 days.
A copy of the FIR read ” Indian citizen named Sheikh Nabi Ahmed arrested in Sector 8 Islamabad; Police on May 19 found incomplete documents with Ahmed; He was also unable to provide his biodata to police upon inquiry; He has been arrested under Section 14 of the Foreign Act and has been sent to a judicial remand. At 9:40 the accused was walking on foot and appeared different from his looks and clothes. He was stopped and questioned during which he revealed his name as Sheikh Nabi Ahmed s/o Sheikh Raees Ahmed and address as House No. 755 opposite Tabassum Hotel, Bandra plot, Jogeshwari (East), Mumbai, India. During the inquiry it was found that he was staying in Pakistan without any passport or permission. He committed the crime of staying in Pakistan without any Visa or NOC for which he was booked under Section 14 of the Foreign Act.”