The Supreme Court (SC) on August 2 upheld the conviction of a woman, Yasmeen Mohammed Zahid, a native of Bihar, who was found to have joined the Islamic State (IS) along with a group of Kerala youth, on the counts of criminal conspiracy and association with a banned terror outfit with intention to further its activities, reports The Hindu. However, SC Bench disagreed with the Centre that the young woman, waged war or attempted/abetted war against the government of any Asiatic power in alliance with or at peace with the government of India. The court further found that she was not guilty, as the Centre claimed, of raising funds for the IS or garnering support for the terror outfit by arranging and managing meetings to encourage support for the outfit. Yet, the SC found her guilty of association (with IS ideology), saying she had attended classes propagating its ideology by her husband.
According to a complaint received by the local Police in Kerala in July 2016, Yasmeen, who was staying at Kasaragod District of Kerala, had first left India with 14 others, including her husband to join the IS. She was the only one to stand trial among them. The SC for National Investigation Agency (NIA) cases, in March 2018, found her guilty for offences charged under the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).