NIA detains two key accused in The Rameshwaram Cafe blast from West Bengal

BENGALURU: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has detained the two main suspects in The Rameshwaram Cafe blast case, Mussavir Hussain Shazib and Abdul Mateen Taha, from West Bengal.

The suspect in The Rameshwaram Cafe blast seen entering and exiting the restaurant in a gap of nine minutes.

Ever since the blast at The Rameshwaram Cafe on March 1, Musavir Hussain Shazib had been absconding while Abdul Mateen Taha, also an accused in the Thirthahalli trial blast case, had been missing for quite some time.

The low-intensity blast took place at the cafe on March 1 in Brookefield, leaving at least nine people injured, during the busy lunch hour. Earlier, the Bengaluru police had registered a case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosives Substances Act in connection with the explosion.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the investigation into The Rameshwaram Cafe blast at Brookefield on March 4. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) handed over the probe to the central agency on March 3, following which it has re-registered the case and started an investigation.

The two key absconders, Adbul Matheen Taha and Mussavir Hussain Shazeb, were traced to their hideout near Kolkata and were apprehended by the NIA team, officials said.

Footage from CCTV of the suspect in The Rameshwaram Cafe blast at Whitefield.

Mussavir Hussain Shazib is the accused who placed the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at the cafe and Abdul Matheen Taha is the mastermind behind the planning, execution of blast and subsequent evasion from the clutches of law.

Early on Friday, NIA said, its teams were successful in tracing the absconding accused near Kolkata, where they were hiding under false identities.

The detonator, battery and timer device found at the cafe.

“This pursuit, successfully accomplished by NIA was ably supported by energetic coordinated action and co-operation between NIA, Central Intelligence agencies and State Police agencies of West Bengal, Telangana, Karnataka, and Kerala police”, the NIA said in a statement.

The arrests come days after the anti-terror agency in a bid to bolster its investigation into the case, widened its scope by delving into the social circles and past associations of the accused, including friends in school-time and college.

As part of its investigation process, the anti-terror agency had also intensified its efforts in the case by summoning and scrutinizing some acquaintances, including college and school-time friends, of both absconding and arrested accused.

The NIA said that the individuals from various spheres of the suspects’ lives were being called in for questioning to gather crucial evidence and information pertinent to the case.

The move was part of the agency’s strategy to piece together the puzzle surrounding the alleged activities of the accused. With a focus on tracing the suspects’ connections and possible motives, the NIA said, it left no stone unturned in its pursuit of justice. The NIA had also requested “the cooperation of all in arrest of absconding accused persons”.

The National Investigation Agency has released fresh pictures of The Rameshwaram Cafe blast suspect.

As part of investigation into Rameshwaram Cafe blast which occurred on March 1 at ITPL Road in Brookefield, the NIA had identified the two key accused person who carried out the IED blast. The two accused are residents of Thirthahalli area in Shivamogga district.

Further, as part of investigation one Muzammil Shareef, a resident of Kalasa in Chikkamagaluru, who extended logistics support to the main accused persons, was arrested on March 26 and was examined in police custody.

As part of efforts to locate and arrest the absconding accused persons, the NIA had conducted searches on 18 locations in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. On March 29, the NIA also declared rewards of Rs 10 lakh on each of the two key absconders. (With Agency inputs)