The Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched extensive search operations on 11 December across more than 40 locations in Maharashtra and several other states, targeting a money laundering investigation tied to an ISIS-affiliated module based in Padgha.

These raids, spearheaded by the ED's Mumbai Zonal Office under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, focused on Saquib Nachan and other suspects. The operations spanned key areas such as the Padgha-Borivali region near Mumbai, alongside Delhi, Kolkata, Hazaribagh, Prayagraj, Daman, and Ratnagiri.

During the searches, the ED seized movable assets valued at approximately 9.7 crore. This haul included around Rs 3.7 crore in cash, as well as gold jewellery and bullion worth about Rs 6 crore. In parallel, the agency froze 25 bank accounts connected to the accused and other suspects, disrupting potential financial channels.

Investigators also recovered incriminating documents, radicalisation-promoting literature, digital devices, and records pertaining to immovable properties owned by the suspects. These findings underscore the depth of the probe into the module's operations.

The ED's investigation stems from FIRs and charge sheets filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). These documents invoke provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the Explosive Substances Act, highlighting the gravity of the terror-related charges.

Probing deeper, the ED uncovered a highly radicalised ISIS-linked network active in recruitment, training, weapon and explosives procurement, and fundraising to fuel terrorist activities. Intelligence from the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) pointed to additional illegal revenue streams sustaining these efforts.

Suspects were implicated in the clandestine cutting, smuggling, and sale of Khair (Kaith) wood, with proceeds allegedly channelled towards extremist operations. Financial trails, traced through bank account analyses, linked multiple individuals to the accused, revealing a web of monetary transactions.

In response to these leads, the ED extended searches to premises of the accused, their close associates, family members, and entities exhibiting suspicious financial ties. This approach aimed to dismantle the broader support structure.

Hawala operations emerged as a key concern during the investigation, with evidence suggesting their role in funnelling illicit funds. Further scrutiny exposed the Padgha-Borivali module's involvement in illegally harvesting Kaith trees from reserve forest areas in the region.

To map the supply chain, the ED targeted companies and entities engaged in Kattha production that sourced Kaith wood from the suspects. Searches at these sites yielded suspected illegally obtained Kaith wood, prompting notifications to the relevant Forest Department authorities for immediate action.

The raids represent a significant escalation in counter-terrorism financing efforts, addressing not only direct terror linkages but also ancillary illegal activities like forest smuggling. By seizing assets and freezing accounts, the ED has curtailed the module's operational capacity.

Ongoing analysis of seized materials promises further revelations about the network's reach and methods. The involvement of multiple states indicates a geographically dispersed threat, demanding coordinated inter-agency vigilance.

This operation reaffirms the ED's pivotal role in probing terror financing, blending financial intelligence with national security imperatives. As the investigation progresses, additional arrests and asset attachments appear likely, bolstering India's defences against radicalisation and extremism.

Agencies