New Delhi [India], July 9 (HBTV): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday arrested three individuals, including a prison psychiatrist and a City Armed Reserve policeman, in connection with the 2023 Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) prison radicalisation case in Karnataka.
The arrests followed searches at five locations in Bengaluru and Kolar districts, leading to the detention of Nagaraj, a psychiatrist at Central Prison, Parappana Agrahara in Bengaluru; Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Chan Pasha; and Anees Fathima, the mother of absconding accused Junaid Ahmed.
The NIA stated that it seized digital devices, cash, gold, and incriminating documents from the residences of the arrested individuals and other suspects.
According to the agency, the case pertains to the recovery of arms, ammunition, explosives, and digital devices—including two walkie-talkies—from habitual offenders who were allegedly conspiring to carry out terror activities in Bengaluru to advance the agenda of the proscribed terrorist organisation LeT.
As part of the conspiracy, Nagaraj was reportedly involved in smuggling mobile phones into the prison for inmates, including Tadiyandaveed Naseer alias T Naseer, a life convict in multiple terror cases. The NIA said Nagaraj was aided in this activity by one Pavithra.
In addition to Nagaraj and Pavithra’s homes, the agency also searched the residence of Anees Fathima. She is accused of relaying instructions from her son Junaid Ahmed to T Naseer for raising funds and facilitating their transfer to Naseer within the prison.
The NIA investigation further revealed that ASI Chan Pasha had, in 2022, accepted money in exchange for providing information regarding T Naseer’s escort movements from prison to various courts.
The agency has already filed a chargesheet against nine individuals, including absconder Junaid Ahmed, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Arms Act, and the Explosive Substances Act.
(ANI)