The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court in Kochi has delivered its verdict, sentencing Mohammed Azarudeen and Sheik Hidayatullah, both residents of Ukkadam, Coimbatore, to eight years of rigorous imprisonment. This judgment comes in connection with the significant Kerala-Tamil Nadu Islamic State (IS) recruitment case.
Special Judge N. Seshadrinathan pronounced the sentence, imposing eight years of rigorous imprisonment on each of the convicts across three distinct charges. The court stipulated that these sentences would run concurrently, a decision announced on Monday, September 29, 2025.
The special court had previously determined that the two individuals were indeed guilty of actively recruiting and spreading the extremist ideology of the Islamic State.
Details of the Prosecution’s Case
According to the prosecution, the convicts had become active members of banned organizations, specifically the Islamic State (IS) or Daesh. They were deeply involved with IS, actively promoting its agenda and recruiting new members. To achieve this, they established a WhatsApp group, utilized various social media platforms, and organized clandestine classes designed to lure impressionable young individuals into the IS fold.
The evidence presented by the prosecution detailed how the duo downloaded vast amounts of material, including posters, videos, and links, all related to IS activities. This content explicitly showcased violence, IS training methods, bomb manufacturing instructions, hostage killings, and techniques for using social media securely to evade detection by authorities. Furthermore, they acquired videos and speeches from radical Islamic leaders, all intended to further their objectives, as asserted by the prosecution.