PATNA: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted a search at the house of a chicken seller Mohammad Aleem in Bihar's Sitamarhi district and subsequently took him into custody for interrogation.
Aleem runs a chicken shop at Bajpatti Got under Bajpatti police station in Sitamarhi district, close to the India-Nepal border.
An NIA team reached Aleem's house around 4.30 am and started a search operation. The family members were taken aback over the sudden action of the central investigation agency. The entire village has virtually turned into a fortress.
The raiding team seized Aleem's mobile phone and took him to Bajpatti police station where he was quizzed for more than five hours. Later he was released on personal bond from the police station. However, the NIA took his mobile phone for investigation.
Sub Divisional police officer of Pupari Atanu Dutta said that the district police cooperated with the federal agency in its operation. He confirmed that Aleem's house was searched by the NIA team. "What was found during the operation is not known to us," he told the media.
The SDPO also refused to divulge the charges levelled against Aleem. "The matter is not related to the district police. We are in the dark about the purpose of the NIA team's visit to Sitamarhi," he told the media.
Aleem's neighbours told the interrogators that they have not noticed anything suspicious in the house of the suspect. Sitamarhi superintendent of police Manoj Kumar Tiwari said that the central probe agency wanted clarifications on certain points from Aleem.
The NIA team returned to the state capital after Aleem's interrogation. Sources in the state police headquarters said the NIA had some specific information about anti-national activities going on at Bajpatti, which necessitated Thursday's search operation.