- Saturday, April 27, 2024
The elite investigative body took over the case on March 3, two days after the low-intensity blast at the popular Rameshwaram Cafe at peak hours left at least nine people injured.
By: Twinkle Roy
INDIA’S National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday (27) made a major breakthrough in the restaurant blast case in Bengaluru by arresting a key conspirator of the incident.
The development was confirmed in an official statement released on Thursday (28).
It said Muzammil Shareef was picked up on Wednesday and placed in custody as a co-conspirator after NIA teams cracked down at 18 locations, including 12 in the state of Karnataka of which Bengaluru is the capital; five in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu and one in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.
The elite investigative body, which took over the case on March 3, two days after the low-intensity blast at the popular Rameshwaram Cafe at peak hours left at least nine people injured, had earlier identified the main accused, Mussavir Shazeeb Hussain, who had carried out the blast. The property was also damaged in the impact but was reopened a week later.
It had also identified another conspirator, Abdul Matheen Taha, who is also wanted by the agency in other cases, the statement added.
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“Both the men are on the run,” it added.
NIA investigations have said that Shareef had extended logistic support to the other two identified accused in the case.
NIA officials had been actively searching for the accused since the case was transferred to it and eventually caught hold of Shareef;
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“Raids were conducted today at the houses of all these three accused as well as the residential premises and shops of other suspects,” the statement said.
Various digital devices were seized during the searches, along with cash, it added. Efforts are on to nab the absconding accused and unearth the larger conspiracy behind the blast, the NIA said.
A major political blame game had also started following the blast with prime minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which is in opposition in the state ruled by the national opposition Indian National Congress, accusing the state government of compromising with safety.
The blast also took place just over a month ahead of India’s general elections.
(with PTI inputs)
