A Rajkot Sessions Court has sentenced three young men from West Bengal—Aman Siraj Malik (23), Abdul Shakoor Ali Sheikh (20), and Shafnawaz Abu Shahid (23)—to life imprisonment and each fined ₹10,000 for conspiracy against the government and disseminating jihadist, anti-national propaganda.

The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested the accused in July 2023 after intelligence indicated that they, while employed as artisans at a local imitation jewelry factory in Rajkot’s Soni Bazaar, were promoting radicalization from a mosque and maintaining direct links to Al-Qaeda handlers based in Bangladesh. The arrests followed ATS raids, which revealed communication with their handler through encrypted messaging apps and the recovery of a country-made pistol, cartridges, and incriminating digital evidence.

The court noted their involvement in using encrypted apps to receive instructions aimed at mobilizing youth for "jihad" and "hijrat." During the hearing, evidence including mobiles and weapons was presented, confirming their engagement in dangerous anti-national plots, as well as possession of arms.

This verdict makes clear the judiciary’s intent to send a strong message against terrorism and extremism while highlighting the law enforcement’s role in preempting threats through intelligence-led action.