The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has initiated steps to take over the investigation into the alleged plot by an IS-inspired group to murder leaders of two Hindu organisations in Coimbatore in September this year.
“The Delhi unit of the agency has re-registered the case which was earlier registered and investigated by the Variety Hall police.
The Kochi unit of the agency will investigate the case once it is officially handed over,” said an official from NIA to The Hindu on Thursday.
The case relates to the alleged conspiracy by a seven-member group to murder Hindu Makkal Katchi (Tamil Nadu) leader Arjun Sampath and Sakthi Sena leader Anbu Mari.
Bid foiled
The plot was foiled when five members of the group were arrested by the Special Investigation Unit of the Coimbatore police and the Variety Hall police on September, 2. Initially four persons — S. Ismail, 25, from Tindivanam, S. Salavudheen, 25, from Otteri, I. Jaffar Sadiq Ali, 29, from Vyasarpadi, and S. Shamsudheen, 20, from Pallavaram — were taken into custody from Coimbatore railway station as they arrived from Chennai, allegedly to execute the plot. The police subsequently arrested R. Ashik, 25, from Poomarket, one of the main conspirators, who had come to the railway station to receive the four persons. Five machets, a two-wheeler and mobile phones were seized from the accused.
The police later held S. Faizal, 26, from GM Nagar and Shahul Hameed aka Anwar, 23, for allegedly aiding the five persons. All the seven persons were booked under Sections 143 and 120 B of the IPC and 15,16,18, 20 and 38 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The official said that the agency re-registered the case against the seven persons for offences under the same Sections charged by the police. The Variety Hall police were yet to get an official communication regarding the transfer of the case.
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