Parmesh S Jain special correspondent
Expanding the ambit of its investigations in the Bengaluru Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) prison radicalisation case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday searched multiple locations in six States and seized a host of digital devices and incriminating documents, along with cash.
NIA teams swooped down on the premises of suspects in various places across Karnataka,Tamilnadu, Telangana,Punjab,Gujarat and West Bengal on Tuesday morning and recovered 25 mobile phones,6 laptops and 4 storage devices,besides various incriminating documents,and cash,apart from the currency notes of various countries.
The raids and searches were carried out on the premises of Naveed,resident of Mangaluru,Syed Khail, resident of Bengaluru,Bijju,Dakshina Kannada,Mayur Chakrobraborty,South 24 Parganas,West Bengal,Navjot Singh,Gurdaspur (Punjab),Hardik Kumar,Mehsana (Gujarat),Karan Kumar,Ahmedabad (Gujarat),Johnson, Kasargod (Kerala),Musthaq Ahmed Sathikali and Mubith,Ramnathapuram (Tamilnadu) and Hassan Al Bassam,Chennai (Tamilnadu).
NIA is probing the case since October 25,2023,and filed charge-sheet against eight persons on January 12 this year,including absconding accused Junaid Ahmed and Salman Khan,under various sections of IPC,Unlawful (Prevention )Act,Arms Act,and Explosive Substances Act.
The case relating to radicalisation of inmates in Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Central Prison,by a LeT terrorist,was originally registered by the Bengaluru City Police following seizure of arms and ammunition, including 7 Pistols,4 hand grenades,one magazine and 45 live rounds along with 4 walkie-talkies.
The prime accused in the case T Nazeer,a LeT operative,allegedly radicalised these Junaid Ahmed and his associates to carry out terrorist activities.
Junaid,a gangster is presently on the run and suspected to be hiding in middle east .T.Nazir arrested in connection with the 2008 serial bomb blasts in Bengaluru in the Central Prison of Parappana Agrahara.
While Junaid was operating his gang from abroad. Junaid Ahmed,the prime accused, is a habitual offender.He is named in many cases,including for murder,robbery and smuggling of Red Sanders.
He was arrested in 2020 in a Red Sanders smuggling case. He was sent to Bengaluru Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara,where he met Nazir again.
After five months in prison,he secured bail and went abroad in 2021,but was in regular touch with the other accused, according to the police.
He was acting as the handler of the module.He provided logistics support,including weapons and financial aid,through his contacts.
Prime accused Junaid is named in multiple cases and is in hiding out of India.He hatched a plan to carry out subversive activities, and supplied arms and ammunition for the subversive activities.
Further investigations in the case are continuing and efforts are on to nab the absconders.
