ISIS operative alleges he was forced to chant Jai Shri Ram in Tihar jail

New Delhi, June 10: An alleged ISIS member arrested for planning suicide attacks and serial blasts across the country, approached a Delhi court on Wednesday claiming that he was beaten up by other inmates in Tihar jail and forced to chant 'Jai Shri Ram'.

The accused, Rashid Zafar, was arrested in 2018 on the allegations of being member of an ISIS-inspired group who were planning suicide attacks and serial blasts, targeting politicians as also government installations in Delhi and other parts of north India.

Advocate M S Khan claimed in the application, which is likely to come up for hearing on Thursday, that the incident was disclosed by the accused to his father telephonically from Tihar Jail.

"The accused was beaten up and forced to chant religious slogans like 'Jai Shri Ram' by his inmates," the application said.

The plea, moved by advocate Qausar Khan, requested that "appropriate directions may be passed to the Jail Superintendent to look into the matter".

The accused were arrested along with nine others in December 2018 after NIA carried out searches, in coordination with Special cell of Delhi Police and Anti-Terrorism Squad of Uttar Pradesh Police, at six places in Jafrabad, Seelampur in Delhi, and 11 places in Uttar Pradesh -- six in Amroha, two in Lucknow, two in Hapur and two in Meerut.