Karnataka: NIA files chargesheet against 11 accused in Suhas Shetty murder case

Mangaluru: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge-sheet against 11 persons accused in the Suhas Shetty murder case before the NIA special court in Bengaluru.

The chargesheet was filed under various sections of Unlawful activities (Prevention) Act 1967, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and the Arms Act, 1959. On May 2025, Suhas Shetty was brutally hacked to death by seven men armed with lethal weapons, including swords, machetes. The murder was carried out in full public view in order to instill fear and to spread terror in society, NIA stated in a press release.

NIA which took over the case, on the directions of Ministry of Home Affairs, found a bigger conspiracy behind the targeted killing. During the investigations, the agency discovered that Suhas Shetty’s activities were meticulously tracked since many months as part of an elaborate conspiracy.

On the day of the murder, seven accused in two cars trailed Suhas Shetty’s Innova car. The accused deliberately collided with the Innova car driven by Suhas Shetty.

Suhas Shetty was forced to flee on foot and was eventually hacked to death by the assailants. As per NIA investigations in the case RC-01/2025/NIA/BLR, the terror plot was hatched by accused Abdul Safwan Safwan (alias Kalavaru Safwan alias Chopu Safwan, a former member of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI)) along with Niyaz alias Niya, Mohammed Musamir (alias Mahamed Musameer alias Mohammad alias Muzammil), Noushad (alias Vamanjoor Noushad alias Chotte Naushad alias Chotu, a former PFI member) and Adil Maharoof.

Accused Adil Maharoof alias Adil had provided the funds, which were used to recruit other accused on the promise of payment or by exploiting any previous existing enmity with the victim. All the five men along with Kalandar Shafi alias Mande Shafi, M Nagaraja alias Naga alias Appu, Ranjith, Mahammed Rizwan alias Rijju, Azaruddin alias Azar alias Ajju, and Abdul Khader alias Noufal were named in the chargesheet filed today. Investigation against another arrested accused, Abdul Razak is under progress, NIA added.