Unverified News Items Hamper Investigation: NIA Following Reports Of Detaining BJP Worker In Blast Case

Hours after reports emerged that a BJP worker has been detained by the NIA in Shivamogga in the Rameshwaram Cafe Blast case, the central agency has said that "unverified news items hamper effective investigations in the case".

In a press release, the NIA said it identified Mussavir Hussain Shazib as the key accused who carried out the blast at a cafe in Bengaluru on March 1 and Abdul Matheen Taahaa as the co-conspirator.

Reports had earlier claimed that a BJP worker was detained in connection with the case. The statement claims that it has been summoning and examining all the acquaintances including college and school time friends of the absconding and accused arrested persons.

"NIA to gather evidence and information in the case have been summoning and examining all of the acquaintances including college and school time friends of the absconding and arrested accused persons," the Central agency said in a statement.

"The case being a terror incident, any information on the identity of the witnesses may apart from hampering investigation also put at risk the individuals being summoned. Also, unverified news items hamper effective investigations in the case. NIA requests the cooperation of all in the arrest of absconding accused persons."

As per a report in Public TV, the NIA questioned the BJP leader over his links with two individuals from a mobile shop who were previously interrogated by the NIA.

As the news of a BJP worker was out, Congress minister Dinesh Gundu Rao slammed the saffron party and said, "With the NIA arresting a BJP worker, does it not imply BJP's involvement in the Rameshwaram Cafe blast? Is there any clearer evidence that the saffron extremism propagated by the BJP in the name of religious protection is causing serious issues? What response does the central BJP, enforcing RSS ideologies nationwide, have to this?"

On March 1, the Brookfield outlet of The Rameshwaram Cafe was hit by a low-intensity blast, leaving 10 people injured.

The Bengaluru Police registered a case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosives Substances Act in connection with the explosion at the popular quick-service eatery.

On March 28, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested a key conspirator in the blast case. Last week, Muzammil Shareef was picked and placed in custody as a co-conspirator after the agency cracked down at 18 locations, including 12 in Karnataka, five in Tamil Nadu and one in Uttar Pradesh.