New Delhi, February 7: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against Sheikh Amanullah, also known as Abu Bakr Siddiqui, the main suspect in the 2025 explosives seizure case in Andhra Pradesh. This case is particularly serious as the accused had been on the run for an extended period and was found in possession of explosives and weapons intended for terrorist activities.
The chargesheet was submitted to the special NIA court in Vijayawada. The suspect faces multiple charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Explosive Substances Act of 1908, and various sections of the Arms Act. Investigations revealed that Abu Bakr Siddiqui had been evading capture since 1999 and was wanted in several criminal cases in Tamil Nadu. He had been hiding in the town of Raichoti in Annamayya district under a false identity, Sheikh Amanullah, using forged documents.
He was arrested by Tamil Nadu police on July 1, 2025, when his true identity as Abu Bakr Siddiqui was uncovered. Subsequently, in August 2025, Andhra Pradesh police took him into custody concerning the explosives seizure case. The NIA later took over the investigation, registering it as RC-17/2025/NIA/DLI.
The NIA’s investigation revealed that the accused possessed illegal explosives and restricted weapons intended for terrorist activities. He was preparing for attacks, selecting various targets while also engaged in radicalizing youth, recruiting them, and training them to create improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The suspect was wanted in a total of 14 criminal cases in Tamil Nadu. These include the 1995 parcel bomb incident, bomb blasts at five locations in three cities in 1999, transporting illegal explosives on a train in 1999, providing shelter to fugitives involved in various terrorist incidents over a 30-year span, attempting to plant a bomb during a prominent leader’s rally in 2011, and the murders of several political leaders during 2012-13. He was associated with the banned organization ‘Al Ummah,’ collaborating with its members in multiple attacks across South India.
A significant cache of explosives, IED materials, terrorist literature, and other incriminating documents were recovered from his residence in Raichoti. This arrest and chargesheet reflect the vigilance and coordination of anti-terror agencies, thwarting a major terrorist network. The NIA continues to investigate further and is searching for additional suspects.
This incident serves as a precedent for action against hidden terrorist elements in the country, who have been plotting new schemes while remaining elusive for decades. Security agencies are closely monitoring such elements to prevent any potential terrorist activities.