Ramalingam murder: NIA questions PFI office-bearers

NIA sources said that they grilled Khalid Mohamed, State general secretary and Mohamed Sheik Ansari, vice-president of PFI on Thursday. The PFI office-bearers denied the organisation’s role in the murder during the enquiry.

It may be noted that the NIA had already arrested 12 suspects and filed chargesheets against 18 men, including six absconding men.

In December, the agency had announced Rs 1 lakh each for information leading to the arrest of wanted suspects identified as M Rahman Sadiq (39), Mohammad Ali Jinnah (34), Abdul Majith (37), Bhurkhanudeen (28), Shahul Hameed (27) and Nafeel Hassan (28), all hailing from Thanjavur. The six wanted men are still absconding.

The other accused arrested are Mohamed Asarudeen (26), Mohamed Riyas (27), Nijam Ali (33), Sarbudeen (61), Mohamed Rizwan (23), Mohamed Thoufik (25), Mohamed Farvees (26), Thowheeth Batcha (26), Mohammed Ibrahim (50), Mohamed Faruk (47), Myden Ahamed Shali (50) and Mohamed Hasan Kuthous (32).

The NIA, which took over the case on April 25, 2019, found that the accused hatched a criminal conspiracy and murdered Ramalingam after he had an altercation with the Dawah team linked to Popular Front of India (PFI) on February 5 at Pakku Vinayagam Thopu village.

Among the wanted men, Abdul Majid, Bhurkhanudeen and Shahul Hameed are accused of attacking and killing the victim. Rahman Sadiq, Mohamed Ali Jinah and Nafeel Hasan, believed to be members of PFI, were part of the team that conspired the murder, NIA said.

The NIA had said that the accused had conspired to kill Ramalingam for reportedly interfering in their religious propagation activity.