The National Investigation Agency arrested a key accused in the Tamil Nadu Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HuT) case related to spreading disaffection and secessionism “by promoting the ideology of the anti-India outfit” in Puducherry, officials said on Wednesday (October 9, 2024).

The central agency arrested Faizul Rahman, a ‘nakib’ or ‘State amir (chief)’ of the HuT on Tuesday (October 8, 2024) from Puducherry. He is the seventh accused in NIA custody now.

The case is related to “a conspiracy by one Hameed Hussain and other accused to spread disaffection and secessionism by promoting the ideology of the anti-India outfit,” an NIA spokesperson said.

The agency alleged that Mr. Rahman was actively engaged with the other arrested members of the gang in propagating secessionism and seeking military assistance from Pakistan to liberate Kashmir.

“The ulterior motive of the conspiracy was to establish Khilafat by overthrowing the Government of India by waging a violent Jihad,” the spokesperson said.

Mr. Rahman and others used social media to spread their propaganda, and campaign against voting, “terming it un-Islamic/Haram as per the ideology of Hizb-ut-Tahrir, NIA investigations have revealed,” the official said.

The arrested members were allegedly spreading the “violent ideology” of HuT at the behest of the organisation’s central media office to their followers through secret and encrypted communication platforms.

“The accused had held several secret meetings to spread the ideology of Hizb-ut-Tahrir among several groups and had run divisive campaigns throughout Tamil Nadu,” a statement by NIA said.

The NIA had taken up the probe from Chennai Police in July 2024.