NIA searches multiple locations in Udaipur murder case

New Delhi, July 12: The National Investigating Agency (NIA) Tuesday conducted searches at nine locations in Udaipur district of Rajasthan in connection with the killing of tailor Kanhaiya Lal last month, officials said "During the searches conducted today at the premises of accused and suspects in the case, digital devices (mobile phones, laptop and SIM cards) and other incriminating materials have been seized. Further investigations in the case are in progress," an NIA spokesperson said.

Kanhaiya Lal (48) was killed with a cleaver inside his tailoring shop on June 28. The gruesome attack by Riaz Akhtari, also referred to as Riyaz Attari, on the tailor was recorded on a phone by his accomplice Ghouse Mohammad, and the video was posted online. They said in a different video later that they hacked Lal to death to avenge an alleged insult to Islam.

They were arrested within hours of the killing. Besides the two, against whom the evidence is their self-shot video, security agencies nabbed two more -- identified Mohsin and Asif -- who are alleged to be a part of the conspiracy to spread terror amongst the public at large. Two more persons -- Mohammed Mohsin and Wasim -- were arrested subsequently for allegedly being part of the criminal conspiracy and helping the two main accused in carrying out a recce of the tailor's shop.

A seventh accused, named Farhad Mohammad Sheikh, was the last man to be arrested so far in the case. The probe agencies claimed they have found several Pakistani numbers on the accused's WhatsApp accounts and said that one of the accused was part of some secret groups ostensibly meant for objectionable activities.

The NIA had on June 29 re-registered the case under the anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act after taking it over from the Rajasthan Police. The case was initially registered at Dhanmandi police station in Udaipur.

The NIA had said that the accused persons had circulated a video of the criminal act in the social media to trigger panic and strike terror among the masses across the country. On Tuesday, a Jaipur court extended the police custody of Riaz Akhtari, Ghouse Mohammad and Farhad Mohammad Sheikh up to Saturday and sent the remaining four to judicial custody till August 1.

All seven accused were produced by the National Investigation Agency before the designated NIA court amid tight security on Tuesday.