Praveen Nettaru murder: NIA chargesheets 20 members of PFI

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a charge sheet in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Yuva Morcha leader Praveen Nettaru murder case, alleging the ‘targeted killing’ of ‘perceived enemies’ was part of Popular Front of India’s plot to create terror and communal hatred to further its agenda of establishing an Islamic rule in India by 2047. The PFI formed secret teams called Service Teams or Killer Squads to carry out these killings, said an NIA spokesperson

The anti-terror probe agency filed a chargesheet against 20 accused in NIA Special Court, Bengaluru pertaining to the murder of Nettaru by menbers of PFI on July 26 last year in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district with the intention to strike terror in the society and create fear among the people,  said NIA spokesperson in the national capital.

The case was initially registered at Bellare Police Station of Dakshina Kannada district and re-registered by NIA on August 4 last year.

The anti-terror probe agency official said that its probe revealed that the PFI, as part of its agenda to create terror, communal hatred, and unrest in society and to further its agenda of establishing Islamic Rule by 2047, formed secret teams called Service Teams or Killer Squads to carry out killings of its ‘perceived enemies’ and targets.

“These service team members were given Arms as well as attack training and lessons in surveillance techniques in order to identify, list out, and mount surveillance on individuals or leaders belonging to certain communities and groups. These service team members were further trained to assault or kill identified targets, on the instructions of senior PFI leaders,” the official said.

In furtherance of conspiracy meetings by PFI members and leaders held at Bengaluru city, Sullia Town, and Bellare village, the head of District Service Team Mustafa Paichar was instructed to recce, identify and target a prominent member of a particular community.

“As per instructions, four persons were recced and identified, and among them, Nettaru, who was BJP Yuva Morcha, District Committee Member, was assaulted and killed on July 26 in full public view with lethal weapons to create terror among the people at large and especially among members of a particular community,” the official said.

The accused persons have been charge-sheeted under various sections of the IPC, UAPA, and the arms Act.

The accused named in the chargesheet are  Mahammed Shiyab, Abdul Basheer, Riyaz, Mustafa Paichar aka Mahmmad Musthaf S, Masud K A, Kodaje Mohammed Sherif, Abubakkar Siddik, Noufal M, Ismail Shafi K, K Mahammad Iqbal, Shaheed M, Mahammad Shafeek G, Ummar Farook M R, Abdul Kabeer C A, Muhammad Ibrahim Sha, Sainul Abid Y, Shekh Saddam Hussain, Zakiar A, N Abdul Haris and Thufail M H.

Among the charge-sheeted accused, Mustafa Paichar, Masud K A, Kodaje Mohammed Sherif, Abubakkar Siddik, Ummar Farook M R and Thufail M H  are currently absconding and rewards have been declared for information leading to their arrest.

In the last few months, the NIA has registered several cases against PFI and its members in several states and carried out searches at several locations across the country.

The NIA had also arrested several office bearers of the PFI.