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‘Targeted killing’: NIA says in charge sheet in Nettaru murder case
NIA alleged the targeted killing was part of Popular Front of India’s plan to create terror to further its agenda of establishing an Islamic rule in India by 2047
New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a charge sheet in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Yuva Morcha leader Praveen Nettaru murder case, alleging the targeted killing was part of Popular Front of India’s plan to create terror to further its agenda of establishing an Islamic rule in India by 2047, people familiar with the development said.
The agency named 20 people in the charge sheet filed before a special court in Bengaluru.
“Investigations revealed that the PFI, as part of its agenda to create terror, communal hatred and unrest in society and to further its agenda of establishing Islamic Rule by 2047, formed secret teams called Service Teams or Killer Squads to carry out killings of its ‘perceived enemies’ and targets,” said an NIA officer, requesting anonymity.
“These Service Team members were given arms as well attack training and training in surveillance techniques in order to identify, list out and to mount surveillance on individuals/leaders belonging to certain communities and groups.”
These service team members, the officer said, were trained to assault/kill identified targets, on the instructions of senior PFI leaders.
“In furtherance of conspiracy meetings by PFI members and leaders held at Bengaluru city, Sullia Town and Bellare village, the head of District Service Team — Mustafa Paichar 1 — was instructed to recce, identify and target a prominent member of a particular community,” said a second officer, also declining to be named.
“As per instructions, four people were recced and identified and among them Praveen Nettaru, who was BJP Yuva Morcha, (Dakshina Kannada) district committee member, was assaulted and killed on July 26, 2022 in full public view with lethal weapons to create a terror among the people at large and especially among members of a particular community.”
Those named in the charge sheet are Mohammad Shiya, Abdul Basheer, Riyaz, Mustafa Paichar, Masud KA, Kodaje Mohammed Sherif, Abubakkar Siddik, Noufal M, Ismail Shafi, K Mahammad Iqbal, Shaheed M, Mahammad Shafeek, Ummar Farook, Abdul Kabeer, Muhammad Ibrahim, Sainul Abid Y, Shekh Saddam Hussain, Zakiar A, N Abdul Haris and Thufail M H.
“Among the charge sheeted accused, Mustafa Paichar, Masud K A, Kodaje Mohammed Sherif, Abubakkar Siddik, Ummar Farook M R and Thufail M H are currently absconding and rewards have been declared for information leading to their arrest,” said the second officer.
Meanwhile, the agency has announced a reward of ₹5 lakh each on two members of PFI in connection with the murder of Nettaru.
The two members — identified as Kodaje (53) and Masud (40), both residents of Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka — are absconding.
“Above two PFI members are wanted in NIA case relating to murder of Praveen Nettaru on July 26, 2022. Whoever provides any information leading to arrest of the above mentioned accused persons shall be rewarded,” NIA said in a notice earlier this week.
It added that the identity of the informer will be kept a secret.
More than two dozen people have been arrested by NIA after Nettaru (32) was hacked to death by unidentified motorbike-borne assailants at Bellare in Dakshina Kannada district on the night of July 26 last year.
The murder led to massive protests by right-wing workers against the BJP-ruled state government, prompting the latter to hand over the case to NIA in August.
The PFI and its eight affiliate organisations were banned under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on September 28, after a nationwide crackdown by NIA and Enforcement Directorate (ED) led to arrests and recovery of purported incriminating documents from offices and residences of the outfit’s office bearers.
The Centre alleged the outfit was fueling radicalisation and was involved in terror funding.
