During the searches, the agency said it seized various digital devices, cash, gold, and incriminating documents from the residences of the arrested individuals and other suspects.
Published Jul 08, 2025 | 11:36 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 08, 2025 | 11:36 PM
NIA chargesheets Tamil Nadu man in ISIS radicalisation, conspiracy case
Synopsis: The NIA on Tuesday said that it had arrested three persons, including a prison psychiatrist and a City Armed Reserve police official, across Karnataka’s Bengaluru and Kolar districts in connection with the alleged 2023 prison radicalisation case. The trio is alleged to have facilitated communication, smuggling of devices, and the transfer of funds to aid radicalisation efforts led by jailed Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Tadiyandaveed Naseer to further the “nefarious agenda” of the proscribed group.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday, 8 July, arrested three individuals, including a prison psychiatrist and a City Armed Reserve police official, during coordinated searches in Karnataka’s Bengaluru and Kolar districts.
The arrests are in connection with the alleged 2023 Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) prison radicalisation case and followed searches at five locations across the two districts.
In a statement, the agency identified those arrested as Dr Nagaraj, Psychiatrist at Central Prison, Parappana Agrahara, Bengaluru; Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Chan Pasha; and Anees Fathima, mother of absconding accused Junaid Ahmed.
The case (RC-28/2023/NIA/DLI) relates to an alleged conspiracy involving the recovery of arms, ammunition, explosives, and digital devices, including two walkie-talkies, from habitual offenders who were allegedly plotting terror activities in Bengaluru to further the “nefarious agenda” of the proscribed LeT group.
The agency had earlier filed a chargesheet against nine individuals, including Junaid Ahmed, under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Arms Act, and the Explosive Substances Act.
During the searches, the agency said it seized various digital devices, cash, gold, and incriminating documents from the residences of the arrested individuals and other suspects.
Furthermore, the NIA stated that Dr Nagaraj had been smuggling mobile phones into the prison for use by inmates, including Tadiyandaveed Naseer alias T Naseer, an alleged LeT operative and a life convict in 2008 Bengaluru serial blasts case, lodged in Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, where he was also lodged in a murder case.
He was reportedly assisted in this operation by one Pavithra, whose residence was also searched.
In a related development, the residence of Anees Fathima was searched on suspicion of her role in relaying instructions from Naseer to her absconding son Junaid Ahmed.
She was “involved in passing instructions from Naseer to her son for raising funds and handing over the same to T Naseer in prison,” the agency said.
The role of ASI Chan Pasha has also come under scrutiny. According to the NIA’s findings, he was involved in leaking information regarding T Naseer’s movement from prison to court in 2022, allegedly in exchange for money.
The NIA said its investigation in the case is ongoing and efforts to apprehend the absconding accused are underway.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
