All 13 individuals arrested in connection with the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad’s probe into an alleged Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror network are now housed at Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad following a court order. Ten of the accused, including five previously detained by the ATS and five more arrested later, were presented before the Kadi court and subsequently transferred to the Central Jail. The remaining three from the initial group, who were in a sub-jail, have also been moved to Sabarmati Central Jail, consolidating all 13 accused in the case at the same facility.
The arrests began on July 3 with the apprehension of eight suspects by the Gujarat ATS, who were suspected of links to the banned organization Jaish-e-Mohammed and of trying to establish an operational presence in Gujarat. The accused face charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Subsequently, five more suspects were arrested from north Gujarat based on new leads during the investigation, bringing the total arrests to 13. The ATS alleged that the group was involved in promoting the banned outfit’s ideology, recruiting members, and setting up a support system.
The investigation revealed that the accused had allegedly acquired materials for making improvised explosive devices and had conducted test explosions at various sites as part of their purported scheme. These claims are under ATS scrutiny and await legal validation. With the latest batch of accused now in judicial custody at Sabarmati Central Jail after the completion of their police remand, the inquiry will persist, guided by the UAPA and other relevant statutes.
