NIA files charge sheet in mass poisoning conspiracy case

The NIA filed a charge sheet against three accused linked to ISIS in a Jihadi bioterrorism conspiracy aimed at mass poisoning of the public using ricin. The charge sheet was filed before a special court in Ahmedabad and names the main accused, Syed Ahmed Mohiuddin of Hyderabad, along with Azad and Mohammad Suhel of Uttar Pradesh. The document details their alleged coordination to recruit youths, and their plans to use ricin to carry out the terror agenda, including roles such as recruitment, funding, reconnaissance, oath-taking, and handling of illegal arms and ammunition.

The National Investigation Agency took over the investigation in January 2026. The agency said Mohiuddin was involved in the conspiracy through a handler, who promised him the ISIS ‘Amir’ of South Asia role, and that Mohiuddin transformed his Hyderabad residence into a clandestine laboratory to prepare ricin from castor seeds. Investigations revealed Azad and Suhel had knowingly participated by maintaining contact with handlers, receiving proceeds of terror, conducting reconnaissance, taking an oath of allegiance, and collecting illegal arms and ammunition.

The Anti Terror Squad registered the case after arresting Dr Mohiuddin, a Hyderabad-based MBBS from China, at a toll plaza where a bottle containing four litres of castor oil and other incriminating items were found. Azad and Suhel were arrested the same day. Investigations suggested they had previously collected money and illegal prohibited weapons from a dead-drop site in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, and delivered them to a location in Chhatral, Gujarat, for Mohiuddin to collect.