BALLARI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) detained a 42-year-old man from Cowl Bazar area of Ballari city early on Wednesday morning in connection with The Rameshwaram Cafe bomb blast case. The police said an NIA team picked him up from his house and took him to Bengaluru where he was released after interrogation.
He is a resident of Ballari and works as an electrician at a private company. The NIA questioned him as he is suspected to be the person who spoke to the main suspect who planted the bomb. As per CCTV footage, the suspected bomber was seen talking to the detainee outside the Ballari bus stand on March 1, the same day the bomb went off. So far, the NIA team has detained three youth from Ballari.
As per CCTV footage, the main suspect directly came to Ballari in a bus from Tumakuru and his movement was captured in the KSRTC central bus stand.
“The prime suspect and detainee were seen having a conversation near the bus stand. It’s suspected that a call was also made from one of their mobiles. Based on the statement of Minaz alias Suleman (27), who was arrested last year for alleged anti-national activities from Ballari and is already in the custody of NIA, officials detained the 42-year-old man. The detainee’s residence is next to Minaz’s house,” said a police source.
The NIA on Wednesday clarified that no arrests have been made in connection with the case. The local police said the NIA is interrogating several people and they will be let off if they have no connection with the perpetrators.