New Delhi: Delhi police have arrested a Kerala native for allegedly trying to join the Islamic State in Syria. Shahjahan Velluva Kandy, 32, is currently being interrogated in Delhi about his activities in Syria. A police officer said, “Kandy had gone to Turkey last year in June with his wife, but was deported from there in February after trying to cross over to Syria for joining ISIS. His wife was also deported.”
Kandy was arrested from the airport with the fake documents on July 1. Intelligence sources said he was an activist of the Muslim outfit Popular Front of India. This was allegedly his second attempt to join the IS. Deputy Commissioner (special cell) PS Kushwah said, “A case under Sections 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery), and 419 (impersonation) under the Passport Act has been registered against him. Further investigations are on.” He was let go by Delhi police the last time, after he pleaded mercy and sought release saying his wife was in an advanced stage of pregnancy.
“Subsequently, the NIA issued a notice for him to appear before the agency for recording his statements. However, the notice could not be served to Kandy as he was missing from the house. We have been trying to locate him since then,” the officer said. There are no criminal cases against him, and the police have arrested a passport agent who helped him procure fake travel papers.
