Tamil Nadu: In relation to the 2019 Tamil Nadu Ramalingam murder case connected to the outlawed Popular Front of India (PFI) terrorist group, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out searches at nine sites in Tamil Nadu and detained one additional suspect. In order to track down the fugitive proclaimed offenders (POs) in case RC-06/2019/NIA/DLI, which is connected to the horrific murder of Ramalingam, NIA personnel raided these nine places in two districts of the state on Wednesday morning. The intention was to incite communal animosity and dread among the populace.
Imthathullah, the proprietor of Ambur Biryani Hotels in Kodaikanal, was detained by the NIA during the searches for willfully and knowingly providing sanctuary to the kidnappers who had been evading capture at his establishments since 2021. During the searches in the Dindugal and Tenkasi districts, incriminating papers, digital gadgets, etc., were also found.
On January 25, 2025, the NIA apprehended Abdul Majeed and Shahul Hameed, two of the three hijackers whom Imhatullah had protected. Mohammed Ali Jinnah, another hijacker, is currently evading capture.
In August 2019, the NIA, which assumed responsibility for the investigation from the Tamil Nadu Police in March 2019, issued a chargesheet against eighteen defendants in its Special Court in Poonamallee, Chennai. Six of them were fugitives in all. One of the six fugitives, Rehman Sadiq, was apprehended by the NIA in 2021. The agency apprehended Mohammed Ali Jinnah, one of their hijackers, and named him the 19th culprit in the case after successfully locating Abdul Majeed and Shahul in the Poombarai neighborhood of Kodaikanal in Dindigul district in November 2024.
For information regarding Mohammad Ali Jinnah and two other terrorists who have escaped, Burhanuddin and Nafeel Hasan, who are both from the Thanjavur area and were formerly PFI office bearers, the NIA has offered a reward of Rs 5 lakh each.
Following a Supreme Court ruling last month in a case involving the alleged abuse of a police officer in custody, the CBI detained eight cops on Wednesday, including at least two officers, authorities said today. According to authorities, among the police officers detained are an inspector, an assistant sub-inspector, and a deputy superintendent of police. The accused police officers were instructed to place their firearms and other official property in the appropriate district police lines.
