NIA chargesheets 20 PFI members in Nettaru case

The 20 accused are Mahammed Shiyab, Abdul Basheer, Riyaz, Mustafa Paichar, Masud KA, Kodaje Mohammed Sherif, Abubakkar Siddik, Noufal M, Ismail Shafi, K Mahammad Iqbal, Shaheed M, Mahammad Shafeek, Ummar Farook MR, Abdul Kabeer CA, Muhammad Ibrahim Sha, Sainul Abid, Shekh Saddam Hussain, Zakiar A, N Abdul Haris and Thufail MH.

Nettaru was murdered by bike-borne assailants in Dakshina Kannada’s Bellare in Jul 2022.

The NIA has booked the 20 accused under Sections 120B, 153A, 302 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 16, 18 and 20 of the UA(P) Act, 1967 and 25(1)(a) of the Arms Act.

Out of the 20, six accused – Mustafa Paichar, Masud KA, Kodaje Mohammed Sherif, Abubakkar Siddik, Ummar Farook MR and Thufail MH – were absconding and rewards have been declared for information leading to their arrest, NIA said.

The agency also said the Popular Front of India (PFI) formed killer squads to carry out killings of its perceived enemies to further its agenda of establishing Islamic Rule by 2047.

"Investigations revealed that the PFI, as part of its agenda to create terror, communal hatred and unrest in the 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," the investigation agency said in a statement.

NIA said the killer squads were given arms, attack training and training in surveillance techniques so that they can identify, list out and mount surveillance on individuals or leaders belonging to certain communities and groups.

It also said Mustafa Paichar, head of its district killer squad, was given instructions to recce, identify and target a prominent member of a particular community.

The instructions were given after conspiracy meetings by members and leaders of PFI in Bengaluru, Sullia and Bellare.

"As per instructions, four people were recced and identified and among them, Praveen Nettaru, who was BJP Yuva Morcha, District Committee Member, was assaulted and killed on 27 July 2022, in full public view with lethal weapons to create terror among the people at large and especially among members of a particular community," NIA said.