The Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested a 22-year-old man from Bhubaneswar on suspicion of having links with terrorist organizations and spreading anti-national slogans on social media platforms, police said on Saturday.
Police officers said that Sheikh Imran was arrested from a rented accommodation in Ganga Nagar area of Unit 6 in Bhubaneswar.
According to the police, the case originated in Delhi, where the police were examining the online activity of several individuals suspected of spreading extremist content through platforms like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and Signal. Interrogation of the suspects in Delhi and forensic analysis of their digital communications led police to Odisha.
Police said Imran was unemployed and had allegedly become an active member of a closed online network distributing content aimed at religious extremism.
“Imran allegedly remained in touch with Pakistan-based organizations during his stay in Delhi for the past two-three years. Digital records and financial transactions are being analyzed to determine the extent of suspected links,” an officer said, requesting anonymity.
The officer added that Imran moved to Bhubaneswar about six to seven months ago.
But the police explained that a direct link between him and any specific terrorist incident has not yet been proven.
Imran was produced before the SDJM court in Bhubaneswar, which granted remand to allow his transfer to Delhi for further questioning.
His father, Sheikh Amir, said his son struggled academically and later worked low-paying jobs, including as a food delivery worker. “He failed the university entrance exam and was trying to find a job. We never suspected anything like this,” he said.
