NIA searches nine locations in Tamil Nadu, arrests another accused in 2019 Ramalingam murder case

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has searched nine locations in Tamil Nadu and arrested one more accused in connection with the 2019 Ramalingam murder case linked with the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) terror outfit, an official statement issued on Thursday said.

NIA teams searched these nine locations in two districts in the state Wednesday morning to trace absconding proclaimed offenders in the case, relating to the brutal killing of Ramalingam, aimed at spreading fear and communal hatred among the people, it said.

During the searches, the NIA arrested Imthathullah, proprietor of Ambur Biryani Hotels, Kodaikanal, for "knowingly and voluntarily harbouring" absconding proclaimed offenders in his hotel outlets from 2021 onwards, the statement said.

Ramalingam, a Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) party worker, was hacked to death on February 5, 2019 in Paku Vinayakam Thoppu, Thanjavur, allegedly by members and office bearers of the PFI.

Incriminating documents and digital devices etc, were also seized during the searches conducted in Dindugal and Tenkasi districts, the probe agency said in the statement.

Of the three proclaimed offenders allegedly harboured by Imthathullah, two, identified as Abdul Majeed and Shahul Hameed, were arrested by the NIA on January 25 this year, while the third proclaimed offender Mohammed Ali Jinna is still absconding, it said.

The NIA, which took over the investigation from the Tamil Nadu Police in March 2019, had chargesheeted 18 accused before a court in Chennai in August 2019. Of these, six were absconders.

In 2021, NIA arrested one of the six absconders, identified as Rahman Sadiq.

In November 2024, the agency successfully traced Abdul Majeed and Shahul to Poombarai area in Kodaikanal, Dindigul district, and arrested an alleged harbourer, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, who was named as the 19th accused in the case.

There are two accused with almost similar names” -- Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Mohammed Ali Jinna -- involved in the case and one of them has been arrested and the other remains absconding, officials said.

The NIA has announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh each for information about the other Mohammed Ali Jinna and two other absconding proclaimed offenders - Burhanudeen and Nafeel Hasan -- all belonging to the Thanjavur district and formerly office bearers of PFI, according to the statement.