The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has unearthed critical digital evidence from the personal devices of an alleged Al Qaeda operative, leading a special court in Pune to grant an extended custody for a deeper investigation. The suspect, identified as software engineer Zubair Ilyas Hangargekar, was arrested in late October for possessing banned literature linked to the terrorist organisation.
Digital Trail Leads to International Connections
During a hearing on Wednesday, state prosecutors informed the special court that a forensic analysis of Hangargekar's mobile phone and laptop revealed a trove of objectionable material. This content was found across his Telegram account, Google Takeout data, and YouTube search history, necessitating a thorough probe. The prosecution emphasized that this digital evidence requires detailed scrutiny by the ATS.
In a significant disclosure, the prosecution stated that Instagram had provided information pertaining to eight out of the 102 Telegram group IDs associated with Hangargekar. Crucially, the IP addresses linked to these activities have been traced to foreign locations. Three IP addresses were traced to Afghanistan and one to Hong Kong, raising serious concerns about potential international connections that the ATS must investigate.
Arrest and Initial Charges Under UAPA
Zubair Ilyas Hangargekar, a resident of Kondhwa and a software engineer with an IT firm, was arrested by the ATS on October 27. He was charged under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly possessing banned Al Qaeda literature. The charges accuse him of threatening India's unity and security by propagating jihad in support of Al-Qaida in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).
Following his arrest, he was initially remanded to ATS custody until November 16. As the forensic analysis of his digital devices was ongoing, the ATS later recommended his remand to judicial custody, reserving the right to seek the remaining 11 days of police custody at an appropriate time.
Fresh Evidence Prompts New Custody Plea
The recent findings from the electronic devices prompted the ATS to produce Hangargekar before the special court again on Wednesday. Citing the discovery of the international IP addresses and other objectionable content, the agency sought his remand for the remaining 11 days for intensive questioning.
The court accepted the plea and ordered his remand in ATS custody until January 3, 2024. The remand grounds also noted that similar objectionable information was recovered from the electronic devices of an accomplice, who is also a suspect in the case. The prosecution argued that the accused needs to be confronted with these fresh findings to unravel the full extent of the alleged network and activities.
This case highlights the increasing reliance on digital forensics in anti-terror investigations, where data from smartphones, laptops, and cloud services can provide crucial leads about affiliations and intentions, both domestically and across borders.
