Rizwan Khan was arrested in a joint operation by Kerala Police and Mumbai Anti-Terror Squad.
A man allegedly instrumental in recruiting young men for ISIS, was detained from Thane district in a joint operation by Maharashtra ATS and Kerala Police, officials said today. The arrest comes just two days after a man linked to controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik was arrested on similar charges.
According to a senior Anti-Terror Squad official, the man identified as Rizwan Khan was arrested from his residence at Kalyan in Thane district last night. He has been sent to police custody till July 25.
Sources said Khan was allegedly responsible for recruiting young men for ISIS. A case has also been registered against him in Kerala in connection with conversion issues.
Police said Khan will be taken to Kerala for further investigation.
Khan's lawyer however rubbished the charges. "For the last 3 to 4 days he is in illegal custody. Why they have taken illegal custody to him that, we cannot say right now. Let's see on 25th they will produce him before the appropriate court in Ernakulam," said lawyer IO Khan, representing the accused.
Earlier this week, Maharashtra ATS and Kerala Police had arrested a man identified as Arshi Qureshi, associated with controversial preacher Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Foundation, from Navi Mumbai for his alleged links with ISIS. Qureshi was picked up from his Navi Mumbai residence on July 21 and placed under arrest in connection with a case registered in Kochi at Kerala on July 17.
The case was registered days after at least 21 youths from Kerala were reported missing and suspected to have joined the ISIS. A local court in Navi Mumbai had granted Kerala Police Qureshi's transit remand till July 25.
Mr Naik, a city-based televangelist who also runs Peace TV, has been under scanner of various agencies after one of the attackers involved in the Dhaka terror strike posted that he had been influenced by the preacher.
"Zakir Naik has repeatedly condemned that ISIS as anti-Islamic and said it should be called A-ISIS and to assume any of the IRF member to be involved with the ISIS is wrong," said Manzoor Shaikh, spokesperson of the IRF.