Karnataka BJP man's murder: NIA raids on in TN, Bengaluru, Kerala; one held from Chennai

CHENNAI/BENGALURU: The National Investigation Agency sleuths picked up a man, identified as Mohammed Asim, from his residence in Doctor Radhakrishnan Nagar, Thiruvottriyur, Chennai, on Tuesday. The NIA officials searched his house and seized some materials before taking him into custody. Asim is reportedly the owner of TC Traders Mats & Rugs, a business based in Tondiarpet.

NIA sleuths conducted simultaneous raids in 16 places in different locations on Thursday in connection with the sensational murder case of BJP Yuva Morcha member Praveen Kumar Nettaru.

The raids were conducted in different locations of Bengaluru city, Kodagu district in Karnataka, Ernakulam in Kerala and Chennai in Tamil Nadu.

Sources revealed that NIA conducted raids to gather inputs about six accused persons who were absconding in the murder case. The NIA suspected that the accused settled in foreign locations and from there, they are carrying out their operations.

It was established that the accused killers were in constant touch with the locals in various cities of South India.

The NIA sleuths after gathering evidence in this regard conducted raids on residences and properties of the suspected persons who are allegedly in regular touch with the suspected killers.

Praveen was killed on July 26, 2022. The probe revealed that the assailants targeted Praveen to avenge the death of a minority community youth, in a road rage case.

The NIA, probing the murder case, had submitted a charge sheet against 20 accused persons to the Special Court in Bengaluru. They have arrested 14 persons and have launched a hunt for six others who are absconding. The NIA had submitted 1,500 pages of the charge sheet, including statements of 240 witnesses.

The murder had led to revenge killings and a series of stabbing incidents in the state.

The state unit of BJP and Karnataka BJP former President Nalin Kumar Kateel gifted the house to Nettaru's family.

The BJP government headed by former CM Basavaraj Bommai had also provided a job to Nettaru's wife.

However, the Congress government, led by CM Siddaramaiah, did not renew her contract, sparking outrage in the state. After the backlash, the Siddaramaiah government reinstated Nettaru's wife.

(Inputs from IANS)