A special court in Bengaluru has sentenced Hamraz Worshid Shaikh, a key accused in a terror radicalization and recruitment case connected to banned Taliban and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan groups, to seven years of rigorous imprisonment. Shaikh, a resident of Thane, Maharashtra, pleaded guilty during the trial that began in April 2026. He was convicted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 63,000 on Shaikh. Investigations by the National Investigation Agency revealed that he was radicalized into the ideologies of Taliban and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan during his time in Saudi Arabia between 2019 and 2022. Upon returning to India, Shaikh allegedly conspired with another accused, Mohammad Arif, to recruit vulnerable youth by promoting the ideologies of the banned groups.
Shaikh and Arif were in contact with foreign-based handlers online, attempting to propagate Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan’s ideology, recruit youth, and raise funds for the terrorist outfit. The National Investigation Agency had filed a chargesheet against the two accused for their involvement in raising funds for terrorist activities. Shaikh’s co-accused, Mohammad Arif, is still undergoing trial.
