MANGALURU: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a chargesheet against four more accused, three of whom are absconding, in the 2022 case of murder of BJP Yuva Morcha member Praveen Nettaru by cadres of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI).
In its second supplementary chargesheet, NIA has charged Abdul Nasir, Naushad, Abdul Rahaman and Ateeq Ahmed under relevant sections of IPC and UA (P) Act, 1967, taking the total number of chargesheeted accused in the case to 27, including six absconders.
Three of the four chargesheeted today are among the absconders. They have been identified as Abdul Nasir, Naushad and Abdul Rahaman.
As per NIA investigations, the trio had provided shelter to the three main assailants in Mysore and Chamarajanagara districts of Karnataka and Erode district of Tamil Nadu. Abdul Nasir and Abdul Rahaman were also involved in harbouring the accused Thufail in Bengaluru.
After the fatal attack on Praveen Nettaru, the accused Ateeq and the deceased Kalandar had conspired and harboured Mustafa Paichar in Chennai in 2022-23. Accused Abdul Rahaman had escaped to a foreign country and guided accused Riyaz in harbouring Mustafa Paichar subsequently, in 2024.
Nettaru was killed with sharp weapons on 26th July 2022 in Bellare village of Sullia Taluk in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka.
NIA, which had taken over the probe from the state police, is trying to track down the absconding accused as part of its ongoing investigation in the case.