New Delhi, March 5: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted simultaneous raids in 7 states on Tuesday morning in connection with the case of radicalization of prisoners lodged in the jail in Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka. Apart from Bengaluru and Tamil Nadu, this raid was also conducted in five other states of the country.
According to NIA spokesperson, the investigating agency’s team searched seventeen places on Tuesday. The team seized Rs 7.3 lakh in cash in the raids conducted at the locations of Mohammed Umar, Mohammed Faisal Rabbani, Tanveer Ahmed and Mohammed Farooq as well as fugitive Junaid. The agency has also recovered several digital devices and incriminating documents.
During this time, investigation has revealed that Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist T Naseer, lodged in Bengaluru Central Jail, was radicalizing the prisoners to carry out violent activities. Umar, Rabbani, Ahmed, Farooq and Junaid had earlier come in contact with T Nazir, an Lashkar-e-Taiba operative and serving a life sentence, while imprisoned in the Central Jail, Parappana Agrahara, Bengaluru.
The case was originally registered in October by the Bengaluru City Police following the seizure of seven pistols, four hand grenades, one magazine, 45 live rounds and four walkie-talkies. Bengaluru City Police made the recovery from the possession of seven accused on July 18, 2023, when all seven had gathered at the house of one of the accused.
On January 12 this year, the National Investigation Agency filed charges against eight people, including a life sentence and two absconders, in Bengaluru Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) jail radicalization and plotting a ‘fedayeen’ (suicide) attack.
Among those chargesheeted is T Naseer from Kannur district of Kerala, who is serving life imprisonment in Bengaluru Central Jail since 2013. Junaid Ahmed alias JD and Salman Khan are suspected to have fled abroad. The others have been identified as Syed Suhail Khan alias Suhail, Mohammad Umar alias Omar, Zahid Tabrez alias Zahid, Syed Mudassir Pasha and Mohammad Faisal Rabbani alias Sadath. All eight accused have been chargesheeted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Explosive Substances Act and Arms Act.
