The suspected terror operative arrested from Uttar Pradesh is likely to be produced in a Delhi court today.
A suspected member of the al Qaeda was arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal on Wednesday - the third such arrest this week - widening a strike against the terror group's network in India, police said.
The man, identified as Jafar Masood, will be produced in a Delhi court today.
Police had earlier arrested two others - Abdul Rahman, 37, from Odisha's Cuttack and Mohammad Asif, 41, from Delhi. The two men are part of a module of the terror group's Indian sub-continent wing operating out of the country, police claimed.
Police have also sounded an alert in Sambhal after they learnt that Asif had links with some youths in Deepa Sarai area.
"Directives have been issued for verification of workers in factories and a search operation has been started," said Superintendent of Police Atul Saxena. Hotels and guesthouses, too, are being checked, he added.
Asif is believed to be one of the founding members and the Indian amir (chief) of the motivation, recruitment and training wing of al Qaeda in the Indian sub-continent (AQIS), police said.
He was arrested from Seelampur in northeast Delhi, while Rahman was arrested from Jagatpur area of Cuttack in Odisha.
Police said they have recovered three mobile phones, a laptop and other "incriminating articles", including documents of indoctrination and jihadi literature from Asif's possession.
According to the police, Asif left in Delhi in 2013 and reached Pakistan through Iran where he was trained and was officially recruited by Maulana Asim Umar, the chief of AQIS.
Rahman is suspected to have international links in countries like Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Dubai. Rahman, who is married and has three children, ran a madrasa at Tangi area near Cuttack.
His brother Tahir Ali was arrested in 2001 in connection with the terrorist attack on American Center in Kolkata, police said.