NIA charge sheets two men suspected to be part of conspiracy to establish Islamic rule in India

New Delhi, Aug 8 (PTI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charge sheeted two more accused for their alleged role in radicalising youths in Kerala as part of a conspiracy aimed at establishing the Islamic rule in India by 2047, an official statement issued on Thursday said.

This takes the total number of accused charge sheeted in the case to 63, including one Abdul Naser who died on January 2, 2023.

So far, 61 of the 71 accused identified in the case have been arrested and a hunt is on for the 10 still absconding.

The NIA has charge sheeted "two more accused in a Kerala PFI radicalisation and arms training conspiracy aimed at establishing Islamic rule in India by 2047", said the statement issued by the probe agency.

The accused named in the supplementary charge sheet filed on Wednesday before a special court in Kochi are Jaffar B and Shafeekh, who were arrested in February and March this year, respectively.

"While Jaffar was a master arms trainer and a member of the hit squad of the proscribed Popular Front of India (PFI), Shafeekh had undergone arms training and had harboured other accused persons. Jaffar was also involved in 20 other criminal cases," the NIA said.

Through the supplementary charge sheet, the NIA has also invoked additional charges against Noushad (already in jail), who was also a harbourer and had participated in the conspiracy meeting held for the killing of RSS leader Srinivasan on April 16, 2022 at Melamuri, Palakkad.

"NIA is continuing with its investigations in the case, registered in September 2022 to investigate the PFI criminal conspiracy to spread jehad and violent extremism in India," the anti-terror agency said. PTI AKV AS   AS