NIA to take over probe into terror module case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will probe the terror module case registered at the Suddaguntepalya police station earlier this month.

The case file was handed over to the central agency on Saturday, said a senior officer in the NIA. "We have to go through the details before starting our investigation," the officer added.

The case was registered under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act after Karnataka and Tamil Nadu police arrested three individuals in a joint operation for the murder of Hindu leaders in the neighbouring state earlier this month.

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) later registered the case at Suddaguntepalya police station on January 10. So far, the CCB has arrested three individuals, including the alleged mastermind, Mehboob Pasha, out of the 17 suspects named in the FIR. The other arrested suspects are Mohammed Mansoor and Salim Khan.

According to police, the suspects wanted to form a splinter group of the proscribed al-Badr militant group and are alleged to have contacts with foreign handlers. They have killed Hindu leaders in Chennai, Coimbatore and other places. The police story is that they wanted to foment communal tension.

"Many other suspects wanted by Bengaluru police have been arrested by Tamil Nadu and Delhi police. Almost all the suspects in the Suddaguntepalya case are behind bars. Now, the NIA has to find out whether the gang had more associates and arrest them," a senior officer.

A senior officer in the CCB confirmed that the NIA would take over the case for further investigation.