NIA chargesheets three more accused in 2023 LeT-linked Bengaluru prison radicalisation case

NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has chargesheeted three more accused in the 2023 Bengaluru prison radicalisation case linked with the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba terror organisation.

In a second supplementary chargesheet, filed on Thursday before a special court, the NIA named Anees Fathima, Chand Pasha A and Dr Nagaraj S under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Explosive Substances Act, Prevention of Corruption Act, and the Karnataka Prisons Act.

The NIA, which took over the case from the local police in October 2023, had earlier chargesheeted nine accused, including absconder Junaid Ahmed.

The case, originally registered by the Bengaluru City police in July 2023, related to the recovery of arms, ammunition and digital devices from habitual offenders who had planned to unleash terror in the city with the intent of disrupting India’s sovereignty and security.

The NIA said the activities, aimed at promoting the LeT’s interests, were part of a larger conspiracy to facilitate the escape of T Naseer, a life convict in several terror cases, en route from the prison to the court. Naseer was an under-trial prisoner in the 2008 Bengaluru serial blast cases at the time.

Among the three chargesheeted accused, Anees Fathima has been identified as Junaid’s mother. As per the NIA, Anees Fathima had provided logistical support and funds to T Naseer inside Parappana Agrahara central prison in Bengaluru. “She was also involved in handling of hand grenades and walkie-talkies on her son’s directives, and had facilitated communications between the various accused”, the agency said.

The NIA investigations further revealed Anees Fathima’s key role in harbouring a key accused, Salman Khan, and helping him abscond to Dubai by arranging his travel documents. Salman was subsequently extradited to India from the Republic of Rwanda.

The agency further informed that Chand Pasha A, an Assistant Sub-Inspector at the City Armed Reserve-South, Bengaluru City, received illegal gratification from Salman for sharing information about the escort details of T Naseer, with whom he had connections while he was on prisoner escort duty.

It also said that Dr Nagaraj S, a psychiatrist on deputation at Central Prisons Hospital, Parappana Agrahara, was involved in illegally smuggling mobile phones into the prison and selling them to the inmates for cash. “One of these phones had reached T Naseer, who used it to communicate with his co-accused to conspire for promoting the terror plot”, said the NIA in a statement.

The anti-terror agency further said it is continuing its efforts to track the absconders in the case (RC-28/2023/NIA/DLI). (ANI)