Two of the 12 accused in the Vijayawada terror links case have been released on default bail, four days after a special court hearing for National Investigation Agency cases in Visakhapatnam granted the relief. Defence counsel Abdus Saleem confirmed that Sayeeda Begum was released from the special women’s prison in Rajamahendravaram, while Shadman Dilkash was released from the same facility shortly before.
The arrests occurred on March 24, when the Andhra Pradesh police’s counter-intelligence cell detained 12 individuals associated with Al Malik Islamic Youth during a multi-state operation. The suspects were accused of maintaining connections with banned terrorist organizations, including al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Sayeeda Begum works as a domestic helper in Hyderabad, while Shadman Dilkash is a NEET aspirant from Patna, Bihar. Both individuals had been named in the NIA chargesheet for the broader case.
The special NIA court ordered both defendants to submit personal bonds of 50,000 rupees each, accompanied by two sureties. Judicial conditions require Sayeeda Begum to check in monthly at the NIA office in Hyderabad, whereas Shadman Dilkash must report to the NIA office in Patna.
According to the defence, the court issued the default bail order on October 6 because the statutory 180-day investigation window elapsed before investigators filed formal charge sheets against them. The defence argued that while authorities charged other suspects, they failed to name these two individuals due to a lack of material evidence linking them to the alleged offenses, rendering their continued incarceration legally unjustified.
The broader conspiracy allegedly involved Pakistan-based handlers attempting to establish a specialized women’s wing named Khawateen, purportedly led by Sayeeda Begum, to instruct recruits in operating firearms, sniper rifles, IEDs, and black powder bombs to target non-Muslims. Authorities stated that the suspects grew increasingly radicalized after interacting online with a foreign handler known as Al Hakeem Shukur.
The case originated at the II Town Police Station in Vijayawada under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, and the Information Technology Act before jurisdiction was transferred to the National Investigation Agency.