BJP Worker Detained in Rameshwaram Cafe Blast? NIA Issues Warning

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused Karnataka's ruling Congress of spreading misinformation in response to a minister's social media post claiming that officials had detained a BJP worker in connection with a blast at a popular eatery Rameshwaram cafe in Bengaluru last month.

The BJP demanded an apology from health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday, criticising his confusion between a witness and an accused.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the BJP stated, "The Congress IT cell is trying to pass off fake news as truth," accompanied by the hashtag #PakistanPremiCongress.

Earlier on Friday, Rao had claimed in a post that the National Investigation Agency (NIA), investigating the March 1 explosion at Rameshwaram cafe, had taken a BJP worker Sai Prasad from Thirthahalli, Karnataka's Shimoga district into custody.

However, an NIA press release later clarified that "unverified news items hamper effective investigations in the case." The agency warned that revealing the identity of witnesses could jeopardize both the investigation and the individuals involved.

NIA identified the primary suspect in the improvised explosive device (IED) explosion as Mussavir Hussain Shazib and a co-conspirator as Abdul Matheen Taahaa, both from Shimoga.

According to an India Today report, NIA raided the homes of the two suspects and a mobile store last week. Investigations revealed that the BJP worker at the center of the controversy had sold his phone to the mobile shop owner, who then sold it to Muzammil Shareef, another key conspirator arrested by NIA. Shareef used this phone to contact Shazib and Taahaa, as reported by India Today, citing sources.

Meanwhile, new details have emerged regarding cafe blast. It has been revealed that a police inspector in Chikkamagaluru assisted the mother of the main conspirator in securing a rented house. Muzzamil Shareef, the alleged mastermind behind the cafe blast, originally from Kalasa, relocated his mother to Chikkamagaluru with the help of the inspector. This disclosure has raised suspicions, prompting the NIA to issue a notice to CPI amid speculations of their involvement.

Furthermore, the NIA has unearthed potential links to suspected ISIS militants in Tamil Nadu, shedding light on the origins of the explosive device used in the attack. Fugitives Mussavir Hussain Shazib and Abdul Mateen Taahaa, believed to be hiding in Tamil Nadu, are under scrutiny for their roles in the incident. Investigations suggest that a crude bomb, made from readily available materials such as nuts, bolts, electric circuits, and ammonium nitrate, may have been assembled in the Krishnagiri forest area before the attack.

According to the NIA, a surprising revelation has emerged from the agency's wanted list, indicating that one of the suspects, Abdul Mateen Ahmed Taahaa, was identified as a Hindu youth. Mussavvir Hussain Shazib is suspected of possessing a fake driving license under the name of Muhammad Junaid Syed. The agency has disclosed that both suspects are using disguises, including wigs and fake beards, to conceal their identities.