Wanted for terror activities in Bengaluru, LeT member extradited from Rwanda in joint operation by CBI, NIA & Interpol

Salman Rehman Khan, an alleged member of the internationally proscribed terrorist organisation, had assisted in providing arms, ammunition and explosives to further terrorist activities in Bengaluru, CBI said.

New Delhi: A 29-year-old Bengaluru youth, who is suspected to be a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist and allegedly involved in assisting in providing arms, ammunition and explosives for terrorist activities in the Karnataka capital, was extradited from Rwanda on Thursday.

Salman Rehman Khan, who was residing in V Nagenahalli in Bengaluru North, was facing an Interpol Red Notice issued on August 2 and was geolocated to Rwanda with assistance from the Interpol National Central Bureau in Kigali. He was brought back to India by a team of NIA.

The NIA had registered a case last year against Salman and others on charges of criminal conspiracy, being a member of a terrorist organisation and providing support to a terrorist organisation and offences relating to Arms Act and Explosive Substances Act. A case was also registered in Hebbal Police station in Bengaluru.

"The subject (Salman) being a member of internationally proscribed terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) had assisted in providing arms, ammunition and explosives to further terrorist activities in Bengaluru city," the CBI, which coordinates with Interpol, said in a statement.

NIA officials said Salman was previously imprisoned (2018-22) in a POSCO case and in jail, he was allegedly radicalised and recruited by Thadiyantavide Nazeer, a life convict in a terror case. Following this, he allegedly facilitated the collection and distribution of explosives for other terror accused.

Naseer had allegedly radicalised youth and got them involved in terror activities for the LeT in India. When the module was cracked, Salman managed to flee from India. He was declared a fugitive by a court after the NIA filed a chargesheet against him.

The NIA approached the Interpol's nodal agency in India, the CBI, to get a Red Corner Notice issued against him. Reports in African media suggested that Salman was arrested on November 9 and the extradition process was completed on Wednesday.

Since 2021, as many as 100 wanted criminals, including 26 this year, have been returned to India through coordination via Interpol channels.

With the help of Interpol earlier this month, India had managed to get hold of two alleged criminals -- one wanted by the CBI and another by the Kerala Police. Both of them were brought back from Saudi Arabia.

Barkat Ali Khan, against whom an Interpol notice was issued in 2022 and wanted in a 2012 case of rioting and use of explosive substances, was brought back from Saudi Arabia on November 14.

Raihan Arabikkalalarikkal, who also had an Interpol Red Notice against him in 2023 and was wanted by police in Kerala's Pattambi for committing rape and sexual offences against a minor, was also brought from Saudi Arabia on November 10.