Cash supplier to SSI killers held in Ramnad

In a significant breakthrough in the case involving the murder of Kaliyakkavilai Special Sub Inspector of Police Wilson, a key accused, A Sheik Dawood (32) of Devipattinam in Ramanathapuram, was arrested and remanded to judicial custody on Saturday. The accused had managed to give the slip during an operation to arrest suspected religious extremists last month.

According to the Superintendent of Police (in-charge) of Ramanathapuram, M Rajarajan, the arrest of the key accused was made on Friday night after the police busted his hideout at Chittarkottai village near Devipattinam. Dawood has been remanded to custody after producing him before the Ramanathapuram Judicial Magistrate on Saturday.

Preliminary inquiries revealed that Dawood allegedly transferred funds to the two accused, Y Thoufeeq and A Abdul Sameem, who were detained over the killing of police official Y Wilson (57) while he was on duty at the Kaliyakkavilai check post in Kanniyakumari district in the night of January 8.

Dawood has been charged with the aiding and abetting of unlawful activities. The detainee made fund transactions through bank, ATM and mobile phone, SP Rajarajan said. Dawood is also accused of spreading religious dogma and inciting communal hatred through voice messages circulated to religious fundamentalists on social media. He also had terror links with Kaja Mohideen, who is accused of harbouring Thoufeeq and Abdul Sameem in Karnataka from an outfit called ‘Al Hind Brigade’. Further, SP Rajarajan said bind over cases were also made earlier against Dawood under Section 107 of the CrPC.

Devipattinam DSP Velladurai said two long knives were seized from Dawood.

When contacted, Thiruvadanai DSP S Pugazhenthi Ganesh, who was deputed to nab Dawood, said that based on vital evidence, the accused transferred Rs 10,000 to the bank account of Abdul Sameem, figured as ‘A-2’ in the SSI killing case. It was two years ago when Kaja Mohideen, who had marital relations in Devipattinam, was produced before the Poonamallee court in Chennai with regard to a case, that Dawood met him and established close links with him, the police said. During 2015, some cases were filed against him too and, the DSP said. Devipattinam Inspector Rajkumar Samuel said the police have already invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against Dawood, who was also charged under other sections.