Mumbai: Mumbai Police arrested a resident of Mangaluru, Karnataka, for illegally staying in a hostel and attending lectures in Indian Institute of Technology( IIT) Mumbai, one of the leading universities of the world, police said.
The accused was produced before a local court which remanded him in police custody till July 8.
The accused identified as Bilal Ahmed Fayaz Ahmed Telli, a resident of Mangalore, Karnataka, was arrested from the Powai campus of the IIT after it was discovered that he had been conducting reconnaissance activities within the institute.
He had reportedly come to the institute for a one-day study programme, and then stayed on the campus and began attending lectures.
The investigation has now been officially handed over to the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) for a more in-depth probe, while the Anti-Terrorism Squad is also conducting a parallel investigation into the matter.
During his stay, he occupied different hostels and managed to avoid detection for almost two weeks. His movements and presence were uncovered through campus CCTV footage, which helped police identify and track him.
The police have interrogated Bilal and examined data from his seized mobile phone, along with other technical evidence. The agencies found apps like Signal and Imo on Telli’s mobile phone. “He shot multiple videos of IIT Bombay and claims that he wanted to share this on his (social media) channel,” said police source.
Inquiries have also been made with his family and friends. The Mangalore resident reportedly completed a six-month software development course after his 12th grade, police said.
The Powai police had earlier registered a case under Sections 329(3) and 329(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). After further investigation, additional sections were added, police said.
