The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday filed a chargesheet in a bio-terrorism case involving an ISIS-linked conspiracy to carry out mass poisoning in public spaces using ricin, a potent biological toxin derived from castor seeds. The agency named three accused: Dr Moinuddin, a Hyderabad-based physician, and two others, Azad and Mohammad Suhel, both from Uttar Pradesh, who allegedly coordinated with foreign ISIS handlers to advance the plot.

The NIA stated that Dr Moinuddin converted his residence into a clandestine laboratory to extract ricin, acting under the direction of ISIS operatives who promised him the title of 'Amir of South Asia'. Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested the three in November 2025 after intercepting Moinuddin at a toll plaza with 4 litres of castor oil and illegal weapons; Azad and Suhel were apprehended the same day for transferring arms and funds received from a dead-drop site in Rajasthan to Gujarat.

According to the NIA, Suhel served as a key intermediary, managing communications, funds, weapons logistics, and recruitment, while also recording oaths of allegiance (Bay’ah) and producing ISIS flags. The probe revealed the accused had planned to target public areas using Schedule I chemical weapons under the Chemical Weapons Convention, with the broader aim of spreading terror and establishing an ISIS network in South Asia.

The case was initially investigated by Gujarat ATS before being handed over to the NIA in January 2026, which confirmed the transnational nature of the conspiracy. The court is expected to take cognizance of the chargesheet and schedule the next hearing in the coming days.