Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady (ANK)
Beltangady, Dec 5: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted searches at multiple locations in Karnataka including state capital Bengaluru as well as Tamil Nadu in connection with the 2022 murder case of BJP worker Praveen Nettaru.
The NIA officials conducted a raid at the residence of Naushad (27) in Padangadi Poikegudde, Beltangady, in connection with the murder case of Praveen Nettaru.
The NIA has announced a reward of Rs 2 lac for information leading to Naushad's whereabouts.
Suspect Naushad & slain Praveen Kumar Nettaru
The raid was carried out with the assistance of Beltangady police.
NIA reportedly also conducted a raid today at the residence of Sharif Kodaje, a resident of Kodaje near Mani.
As part of their ongoing investigation, NIA officials reportedly raided several houses in the district, including Sharif Kodaje's residence near Mani in Bantwal taluk.
Sharif, accused of aiding those involved in the Praveen murder case, has been absconding. Police carried out the raid at his house in connection with the investigation. However, details regarding how long the officers were present at the residence or the documents seized during the raid remain unclear.
"The searches were carried out at premises linked with the absconding accused, suspects and their associates of BJP worker Praveen Kumar Nettaru, which NIA has been investigating since August 4, 2022, after taking over the probe from the police in Karnataka," the NIA said in a statement.
A host of digital devices and incriminating documents were seized during the searches on Thursday carried out as part of NIA's ongoing investigation to apprehend the absconders in the case. So far, a total of 19 people have been arrested in connection with the murder case.
Chargesheets have been filed by NIA against 23 people, including four absconding accused, till date. Non-bailable warrants and rewards have also been issued against the absconding accused persons, the NIA stated.
Praveen Nettaru, BJP Yuva Morcha's Dakshina Kannada District Secretary, was hacked to death with sharp weapons in a brutal attack on July 26, 2022, by members of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI).
The horrendous killing was aimed at instilling fear in a specific section of society, officials claimed.
According to sources, NIA officials on Thursday conducted simultaneous raids at 16 places in different locations in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The raids were conducted in different locations in Bengaluru, Kodagu district in Karnataka. The NIA sleuths also conducted raids in Chennai.
Sources submitted that the NIA conducted raids to gather input about accused persons who were absconding in the murder case.
The NIA suspected that the absconding accused had settled in foreign locations and from there, they were carrying out their operations.
It was established that the accused killers were in constant touch with the locals in various cities of south India, sources stated.
A probe had earlier revealed that the assailants targeted Praveen Nettaru to avenge the death of a youth belonging to the minority community in a road rage case.
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 former state unit BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel gifted a house to Nettaru's family.
The previous BJP government headed by former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had also provided a job for 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.
(With Inputs from IANS and Bantwal correspondent Mounesh Vishwakarma)