NIA court sentences first convict in Bengaluru Al-Hind ISIS conspiracy case
A special NIA court in Bengaluru has sentenced Mohammed Haneef Khan to seven years in prison for his involvement in an ISIS-inspired terror conspiracy. Haneef is the first of 20 accused to be convicted in the case, which aimed to establish an ISIS province in India.
Why it matters
The conviction marks a significant legal milestone in India's efforts to dismantle domestic terror modules linked to international organizations.
A Special Court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Bengaluru has convicted and sentenced Mohammed Haneef Khan to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹48,000 in the 2020 Al-Hind ISIS terror conspiracy case.
According to an NIA press release issued on Tuesday, Haneef is the first accused to be convicted in the case. The agency has so far chargesheeted 20 accused, all of whom have been arrested. Haneef pleaded guilty during the trial, which commenced in October 2025.
The NIA investigation allegedly found that Haneef was part of a reconnaissance team that surveyed Shivanasamudra in Chamarajanagar district and Gundlupet to identify secluded forest locations for training camps and hideouts for members of the Al-Hind ISIS module. The conspiracy allegedly aimed to establish an ISIS province in India.
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