Two alleged ISIS-linked operatives have been deported from Indonesia to India, marking a significant success for security forces. The individuals, identified as Abdullah Fayaz Shaikh, also known as "Diaperwala", and Talha Khan, were apprehended in Mumbai upon their arrival. They had been absconding for over two years and were wanted in connection with a 2023 case involving the fabrication and testing of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Pune, Maharashtra.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had been actively pursuing Shaikh and Khan, who were part of an ISIS sleeper cell module. Non-bailable warrants had been issued against them by the NIA Special Court in Mumbai, and a cash reward of ₹3 lakh each was offered for information leading to their capture. After fleeing India, they had been hiding in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Bureau of Immigration intercepted them at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Terminal 2, and the NIA promptly took them into custody.

The case against Shaikh, Khan, and eight other members of the ISIS Pune sleeper cell, who are already in judicial custody, pertains to a larger conspiracy to commit terrorist acts. The group aimed to disrupt India's peace and communal harmony by waging war against the government, furthering ISIS's agenda to establish Islamic rule through violence and terror. The investigation revealed that Shaikh and Khan were actively involved in assembling IEDs at a house rented by Shaikh in Kondhwa, Pune. Between 2022 and 2023, they organized and participated in bomb-making and training workshops and even carried out a controlled explosion to test an IED they had fabricated.

Indonesia's deportation of the two ISIS operatives highlights the country's commitment to combating terrorism and its willingness to cooperate with India on matters of national security. Indonesia has previously demonstrated its support for India's territorial integrity, including on issues involving Kashmir, and has consistently cracked down on terrorist infrastructure and radical ideologies.

The NIA has already filed a chargesheet against all ten accused under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Explosive Substances Act, the Arms Act, and the Indian Penal Code. The other accused in the case include Mohammed Imran Khan, Mohammed Yunus Saki, Abdul Kadir Pathan, Simab Nasiruddin Kazi, Zulfikar Ali Barodawala, Shamil Nachan, Akif Nachan, and Shahnawaz Alam. The arrest and deportation of Shaikh and Khan represent a major breakthrough in India's fight against ISIS and its efforts to dismantle terrorist networks operating within the country.