NIA files charge sheet against prime suspect in Sasikumar murder case

Sasikumar was murdered in SM Palayam in Coimbatore on September 22 in 2016. A day later, the case was registered by Thudiyalur police station in Coimbatore. Considering the gravity of the offences and other facts found during the investigation, the case was initially transferred to state CBCID and subsequently to the NIA in January this year.

Accordingly, the NIA had re-registered the case under IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 302 (murder), and sections 16 and 18 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

During the investigation, the NIA had conducted searches at the houses of four accused persons on March 18 and recovered Popular Front of India (PFI) donation receipts, PFI literature, CDs of PFI Unity March, mobile phones, CDs and pen drives, DVD of Zakir Naik of Islamic Research Foundation and other allegedly incriminating documents relating to PFI.

The NIA had filed a charge sheet on April 7 against two other suspects, Sadham Hussain and Subair, accused number 2 and 3, before the special court in Chennai.

The investigation has established that Syed Abuthagir, Sadham Hussain, Subair and Mohammed Mubarak among other accused persons, are all active members of PFI, who conspired and murdered Sasikumar to strike terror among a section of people, said a release from the agency. Further investigation against the other accused persons is currently underway, the release added.