The logo of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Credit: PTI File Photo
Bengaluru: In a major development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested three suspects, including a prison psychiatrist and a policeman in Karnataka, in connection with the 2023 Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group’s prison radicalisation case.
Officials said the arrests followed searches by the NIA investigators at five locations in Bengaluru and Kolar districts in Karnataka.
The arrested are Dr Nagaraj, Psychiatrist, Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru; Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Chan Pasha with City Armed Reserve (CAR); and Anees Fathima, mother of an absconding accused, agency officials said.
"During the searches, various digital devices, cash, gold and incriminating documents were seized from the houses of the arrested accused and other suspects," the NIA said in a statement on Tuesday.
"The case relates to the recovery of arms, ammunition, explosives and digital devices, including two walkie-talkies, from habitual offenders who were conspiring to unleash terror activities in Bengaluru city with the aim of furthering the nefarious agenda of the proscribed terrorist organization LeT."
As part of the conspiracy, Dr Nagaraj was smuggling mobile phones for use by prison inmates including Thadiyantavida Naseer alias T Naseer, a life-time convict lodged in terror cases in Central Prison, Bengaluru, the NIA alleged.
Nagaraj was supported by one Pavithra in this activity, officials said.
"Besides houses of Nagaraj and Pavithra, NIA also searched the house of Anees Fathima, mother of absconder Junaid Ahmed and involved in passing instructions from Naseer to her son for raising funds and handing over the same to T Naseer in prison.
"As per NIA investigations, ASI Chan Pasha had, in 2022, been involved in passing information related to T Naseer’s escort from prison to various courts in exchange of money," the NIA said.
NIA has already chargesheeted nine accused, including absconder Junaid Ahmed, under various sections of IPC and UA(P) Act, Arms Act and Explosive Substances Act in the case.
Investigations and efforts to track the absconder are continuing.