Latest news with #NIA
The Hindu
4 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
K.G. Halli PS attack case: NIA court convicts 3 accused, sentences them to 7 years in prison
The NIA court on Wednesday convicted three among the 138 accused involved in the Kadugondana Halli (K.G. Halli) police station attack case, and sentenced them to seven years of imprisonment, with a fine of ₹36,000 each. The trio, Syed Ikramuddin, 44, Syed Asif, 46, and Mohammed Atif, 26, are among the 187 arrested out of the 199 accused in the case. The trio, who are presently in judicial custody at Parappana Agarahara prison, pleaded guilty. Among the NIA charge-sheeted 138 people, four surrendered, and one died. Case background It may be recalled that on August 11, 2020, a group of 25 to 30 people gathered in front of the K.G. Halli police station and started shouting slogans demanding the arrest of one Naveen, nephew of Akhanda Srinivas Murthy, an MLA, who had allegedly posted a derogatory message on his Facebook account insulting Prophet Mohammed. The group, led by Syed Ikramuddin (accused no. 14), and others, entered the K.G. Halli police station demanding registration of a case against Naveen and others. The police accepted the complaint with acknowledgement that a case had already been registered at Devara Jeevana Halli (D.J. Halli ) police station on the same day in this regard. The gathering at K.G. Halli police station was increasing gradually, and becoming violent, following a similar situation near the D.J. Halli police station area. Considering the gravity of the situation, the then Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru city, imposed curfew under the D.J. Halli and K.G. Halli police stations limits. The gathered crowd intensified their protest by shouting slogans, and turned to violent activities. They started pelting stones at the police station. Furthermore, they attacked the police personnel on duty as well as the public who were trying to help the police pacify the crowd and control the situation. The police then resorted to 'Lathi' charge in order to control the crowd. Subsequently, the police fired tear gas with an intention of dispersing the unruly crowd and bringing the situation under control. But the mob became more aggressive and started attacking police personnel, and set ablaze government and public properties, also resulting in injuries to the police personnel. The police fired two rounds in air with their service weapons to disperse the mob. One death However, people in the mob tried to snatch the weapons of the police. Some officials opened fire on the mob, and during gunfire, one person was injured, who later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. Thereafter, the mob gradually dispersed from the area. During the incident, the rioters damaged a total of 12 government and private vehicles. Five two-wheelers and one four-wheeler were burnt, while six other vehicles were damaged. The then Police Inspector, Ajay Sarathy, lodged a complaint charging the accused under various sections of the IPC and also under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. However, the police later invoked the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act against the accused. The NIA took over the case after re-registering the FIR on September 21, 2020.
Canada News.Net
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Canada News.Net
Tahawwur Rana set up Mumbai corporate front to aid David Headley's reconnaissance: NIA
New Delhi [India], July 23 (ANI): In a major development in the probe in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday filed a supplementary chargesheet detailing the role of Pakistani-origin Canadian national Tahawwur Hussain Rana in aiding the deadly assault that left over 170 people dead. According to the chargesheet, Rana played a crucial role in supporting terrorist David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American operative linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, by facilitating his reconnaissance missions across Mumbai. The agency said, 'Rana was instrumental in facilitating the reconnaissance operations carried out by David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American terrorist linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba.' According to the chargesheet, Rana played a critical role in laying the groundwork for the deadly strikes by establishing a corporate front in Mumbai. The NIA claims that Rana set up the Immigrant Law Centre in Mumbai--an office that posed as a legitimate business but lacked any real commercial activity. Despite the absence of genuine operations or revenue, the office remained operational for over two years, serving solely to support Headley's covert activities. This front allegedly enabled Headley to conduct detailed surveillance of multiple high-profile targets across Mumbai in preparation for the attacks, which killed more than 170 people and shocked the nation. Further investigations suggested that Rana was part of a broader criminal conspiracy that began around 2005, involving co-conspirators based in Pakistan. The stated objective of the conspiracy was to wage war against the Government of India by orchestrating large-scale terror incidents designed to destabilize the country's sovereignty, integrity, and internal security. The NIA alleged that Rana's actions were aimed at striking terror among the Indian population and undermining national interests. As a result, multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act have been pressed against him. After years of legal wrangling, Rana was extradited from the United States to India in early 2025. The US Supreme Court had denied his petition in January, clearing the path for his extradition. On April 10, 2025, he was taken into Indian custody under a Non-Bailable Warrant issued by the Special NIA Court in Delhi. His arrest is considered a major breakthrough in the investigation, which continues to uncover new dimensions of the terror conspiracy. According to the NIA, Rana has made several key disclosures during custodial interrogation, leading to fresh investigative leads. To further validate these statements, mutual legal assistance requests have been sent to the United States seeking corroborative evidence and intelligence. The officials close to the investigation believe that the information obtained through these international channels will be crucial in untangling the wider network of conspirators and gathering actionable proof. Rana faced an array of grave charges, including conspiracy to wage war against India, murder, and multiple counts related to terrorism and forgery. The offences include violations of IPC Sections 120B, 121, 302, 468, and 471, as well as Sections 16 and 18 of the UAPA. His extradition followed approval by U.S. authorities and marks a significant milestone in Indo-U.S. counterterrorism cooperation. The NIA has confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, with further charges and supplementary materials expected to be submitted depending on the results of international information exchange and continued interrogation. (ANI)
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Tahawwur Rana set up Mumbai corporate front to aid Headley's reconnaissance: NIA
In a major development in the probe in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday filed a supplementary chargesheet detailing the role of Pakistani-origin Canadian national Tahawwur Hussain Rana in aiding the deadly assault that left over 170 people dead. The agency said, "Rana was instrumental in facilitating the reconnaissance operations carried out by David Coleman Headley(AFP) According to the chargesheet, Rana played a crucial role in supporting terrorist David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American operative linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, by facilitating his reconnaissance missions across Mumbai. The agency said, "Rana was instrumental in facilitating the reconnaissance operations carried out by David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American terrorist linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba." According to the chargesheet, Rana played a critical role in laying the groundwork for the deadly strikes by establishing a corporate front in Mumbai. The NIA claims that Rana set up the Immigrant Law Centre in Mumbai--an office that posed as a legitimate business but lacked any real commercial activity. Despite the absence of genuine operations or revenue, the office remained operational for over two years, serving solely to support Headley's covert activities. This front allegedly enabled Headley to conduct detailed surveillance of multiple high-profile targets across Mumbai in preparation for the attacks, which killed more than 170 people and shocked the nation. Further investigations suggested that Rana was part of a broader criminal conspiracy that began around 2005, involving co-conspirators based in Pakistan. The stated objective of the conspiracy was to wage war against the Government of India by orchestrating large-scale terror incidents designed to destabilize the country's sovereignty, integrity, and internal security. The NIA alleged that Rana's actions were aimed at striking terror among the Indian population and undermining national interests. As a result, multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act have been pressed against him. After years of legal wrangling, Rana was extradited from the United States to India in early 2025. The US Supreme Court had denied his petition in January, clearing the path for his extradition. On April 10, 2025, he was taken into Indian custody under a Non-Bailable Warrant issued by the Special NIA Court in Delhi. His arrest is considered a major breakthrough in the investigation, which continues to uncover new dimensions of the terror conspiracy. According to the NIA, Rana has made several key disclosures during custodial interrogation, leading to fresh investigative leads. To further validate these statements, mutual legal assistance requests have been sent to the United States seeking corroborative evidence and intelligence. The officials close to the investigation believe that the information obtained through these international channels will be crucial in untangling the wider network of conspirators and gathering actionable proof. Rana faced an array of grave charges, including conspiracy to wage war against India, murder, and multiple counts related to terrorism and forgery. The offences include violations of IPC Sections 120B, 121, 302, 468, and 471, as well as Sections 16 and 18 of the UAPA. His extradition followed approval by U.S. authorities and marks a significant milestone in Indo-U.S. counterterrorism cooperation. The NIA has confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, with further charges and supplementary materials expected to be submitted depending on the results of international information exchange and continued interrogation.
NDTV
7 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
3 Bengaluru Riots Case Convicts Jailed In Huge Win For Anti-Terror Agency
Bengaluru: In a major development in the 2020 Bengaluru riots case, a special NIA court has sentenced three accused to seven years of rigorous imprisonment after they pleaded guilty during the charge-framing stage. The convictions mark a significant win for the National Investigation Agency, which has been investigating the larger conspiracy behind such violent incidents. The convicted men Syed Ikramuddin alias Syed Naveed (44), Syed Asif (46), and Mohammed Atif (26) were charged under many sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Karnataka Prevention of Destruction and Loss of Property Act (KPDLP), and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The case pertains to a violent mob attack on August 11, 2020, which targeted the houses of Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy and police stations in KG Halli and DJ Halli. The violence followed a provocative Facebook post allegedly made by the MLA's nephew. The riots left three people dead in police firing and caused widespread destruction and panic in the area. Conspiracy Linked to Banned PFI The NIA earlier established links between the accused and the banned outfit Popular Front of India, along with its political wing SDPI. The agency had laid out how PFI members orchestrated the violence in a bid to incite communal unrest and attack the state machinery. These findings were key in the Union Home Ministry's decision to ban the PFI in 2022. "The police are charged with the duty of maintaining law and order as well as public order. When such custodians of law and order and public order are attacked, the confidence of the public in the efficiency of police is likely to be shaken and thereby public order is likely to be disturbed," said special public prosecutor for NIA in Bengaluru, P Prasanna Kumar. "We the people feel secure when we have a robust police force. By the act of the accused in torching KG Halli police station, the confidence of the people at large and their sense of security was shaken. The judgment has not only secured the confidence of the public at large in the police force but also has vindicated the action of the central government in declaring PFI (Popular Front of India) as an unlawful association," he said.
India.com
13 hours ago
- India.com
Assam Police Arrest ULFA-I Linkman
The Assam Police has arrested a man for allegedly working as a linkman for the banned militant group ULFA-I, officials said on Wednesday. The accused has been identified as Supritam Kaur and taken into custody by security personnel from Dimapur. Police say the accused had actively provided vital information to ULFA-I and has links with the banned NSCN group. A senior police official said, "Kaur has been actively involved in supplying key information to ULFA-I. He has links with another outlawed group NSCN also. The person has been interrogated to unearth further links with the banned outfits." Recently, the NIA arrested two more accused in connection with the recovery of an IED planted by the ULFA-I terror group at Dispur Last Gate, Guwahati, as part of a conspiracy to carry out multiple blasts in Assam on Independence Day in 2024. Bhargob Gogoi and Sumu Gogoi, both residents of Dibrugarh district of Assam, were involved in the conspiracy orchestrated by the proscribed terrorist organisation to strike terror and threaten the sovereignty, security, and integrity of the nation, said the National Investigation Agency (NIA). With their arrest, the total number of accused arrested in the conspiracy case has gone up to three. The NIA, which took over the investigation into the case from Dispur police in September last year, had last month charge-sheeted three accused in the case under various sections of the BNS, UA(P) Act and the Explosives Substance Act. The three charge-sheeted accused included Paresh Baruah alias Paresh Asom alias Kamruj Zaman Khan alias Nur-uz-Zaman alias Zaman Bhai alias Pradip alias Paban Baruah, chairman and SS Commander-in-Chief of the proscribed terrorist groups ULFA-I. The other two accused named in the charge sheet were Abhijit Gogoi alias Abhijeet Gogoi alias Aishang Asom alias Aishang alias Aishang Axom alias Rumel Asom alias Dhanajoy Moran and Jahnu Boruah alias Arnob Asom alias Huntu. Earlier in the month, ULFA-I claimed that its Eastern headquarters in Myanmar had been targeted by the Indian Army with drones in the early hours – a claim denied by the Army. The proscribed outfit in a press statement claimed that in these cross-border strikes, their 19 cadres were killed and another 19 were injured.
