NIA files supplementary charge sheet in Praveen Nettaru murder case

NIA files supplementary charge sheet in Praveen Nettaru murder caseMay 4, 2023New Delhi, May 4 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday said that they have filed a supplementary charge sheet against two more accused in connection with the 2022 murder case of BJP Yuva Morcha leader leader Praveen Nettaru in Karnataka.One of the two accused named in the charge sheet, identified as Thufail M.H., who had been absconding, was tracked down and arrested by an NIA team in Bengaluru.Both the accused — Thufail- and Mohammad Jabir — have been charged under various sections of IPC and UA (P) Act. With this, a total of 21 accused persons have been chargesheeted in the case.The murder, which took place on July 26, 2022 in Bellare village, Dakshina Kannada district, had sent shockwaves in the state. Nettaru was murdered in full public view by members of the now banned Popular Front of India (PFI) “with the intention to strike terror in the society and create fear among the people”, according to the probe agency.The initial chargesheet was filed by the NIA on January 20 this year. The central probe agency had then stated that the PFI had formed secret ‘hit squads’, ‘Service Teams’ or ‘Killer Squads’ to carry out the killing of its ‘perceived enemies and targets.’NIA investigations also revealed that Thufail, a resident of Kodagu, was in-Charge of the PFI Service Teams in the district and also a ‘PFI Master Trainer’ who would regularly impart advanced training, including arms training to the banned outfit’s cadres at the Freedom Community Hall, in neighbouring Dakshina Kannada. He had harboured the three assailants in the murder case in Kodagu and Mysuru districts of Karnataka and in Erode district of Tamil Nadu, as per investigations by the NIA.Meanwhile, Jabir was the PFI Puttur District President and had actively participated in the conspiracy meeting where it was decided to recce and murder Nettaru. Further investigations into the case, which was initially registered as FIR number 63/2022 dated July 27, 2022 at Bellare Police Station of Dakshina Kannada district and re-registered by the NIA on August 4, 2022, are continuing.–IANSatk/ksk/