On Thursday, a special court in Mumbai authorized the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to interrogate 19 alleged members and sympathizers of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) held in various prisons across India. Judge R B Rote granted permission for the interrogation to ensure a thorough investigation into money laundering linked to a case initiated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in November 2023. The NIA's investigation targeted ISIS members operating in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, resulting in the arrests of key figures such as Shahnawaz Alam and Mohd Rizwan Ashraf. The ED's advocate, Arvind Aghav, informed the court that the accused were part of a conspiracy aimed at expanding ISIS's influence in India. The late Saqib Nachan, previously convicted in multiple terror cases, was identified as the self-declared head of ISIS in India. Following his release from prison in 2017, he allegedly maintained contact with a foreign handler to further the organization's agenda. The ED also noted that the accused were involved in generating funds through extortion and other illegal activities. The court has permitted the ED to conduct interrogations in various jails, including Tihar Jail, Arthur Road Jail, and Lucknow Central Jail.