Praveen Nettaru murder case: NIA chargesheets 2 more Popular Front of India cadres

New Delhi [India], May 4 (ANI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a supplementary chargesheet against two more accused in the case related to the murder of Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha member Praveen Nettaru by cadres of the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Karnataka last year.

Both the accused, including Thufail MH and Mahammad Jabir, have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, of 1967.

With this, a total of 21 accused persons have been charge-sheeted in the case.

“Thufail MH, who had been absconding, was tracked down and arrested by an NIA team in Bengaluru and subsequently, was in charge of the PFI ‘Service Teams’ in Kodagu and also a ‘PFI Master Trainer”, said the NIA.

NIA investigations have also revealed that Thufail MH, a resident of Kodagu district in Karnataka, would regularly impart advanced training, including arms training to the banned outfit’s cadres at the Freedom Community Hall, in neighbouring DK district.

As per investigations by the NIA, Thufail MH had harboured three assailants of Praveen Nettaru in the Kodagu and Mysuru districts of Karnataka and in Erode district of Tamil Nadu.

The accused Mahammad Jabir was the PFI Puttur district President and had actively participated in the conspiracy meeting where it was decided to recce and murder Praveen Nettaru, said the NIA, adding “he had also made provocative speeches where he had claimed that Masood’s murder will be avenged.”

Further investigations into the case, which was initially registered on July 27 last year at Bellare Police Station of Dakshina Kannada district and re-registered by the NIA on August 4 last year, are continuing, it said.

The murder, which took place on July 26 last year in Bellare village of Sullia Taluk in Dakshina Kannada district, had sent shock waves in the state.

Nettaru was killed with sharp weapons, as part of PFI’s agenda to strike terror among members of one community and create communal hatred and unrest in the society with the aim of furthering its goal of establishing Islamic Rule in India by 2047.

The initial chargesheet was filed by the NIA on January 20 this year. The NIA had then stated that the PFI had formed secret ‘hit squads’, ‘Service Teams’ or ‘Killer Squads’ to carry out the killing of its ‘perceived enemies’ and targets.