NEW DELHI: The CBI in coordination with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) extradited Salman Rehman Khan — a member of Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) who was wanted in a terror case in India — from Rwanda through Interpol channels, officials said on Thursday.
Khan was facing an Interpol Red Notice for his alleged role in providing arms, ammunition and explosives for terrorist activities in Bengaluru.
In a statement, a CBI spokesperson said, “The Global Operations Centre of the agency has closely coordinated with the NIA and Interpol National Central Bureau in Kigali for the return to India from Rwanda of Salman Rehman Khan, wanted by the NIA for terror-related offences.”
The NIA had lodged a case in 2023 related to criminal conspiracy to spread terror in Bengaluru, the officials said, adding that an FIR was also registered at Hebbal police station in Bengaluru.
Khan, who was previously imprisoned in a POCSO case (2018-22), had allegedly facilitated the collection and distribution of explosives for other terror accused after being recruited and radicalised during his incarceration by T Naseer, a life convict in a terror case, the NIA found in its probe.
Naseer had allegedly orchestrated the radicalisation and subsequent criminal activities to further LeT operations in the country besides plotting his escape en route to the court from the prison, it had alleged.
When the terror module was busted, Khan managed to give NIA the slip and fled the country. The anti-terror agency filed a charge sheet against him under stringent anti-terror law UAPA and the IPC and court declared him a fugitive.
“The CBI, on NIA’s request, had got a Red Notice issued from Interpol on August 2, 2024. It was circulated to all law enforcement agencies globally to track the wanted criminal,” the CBI statement read.
Radicalised in prison
Salman Rehman Khan was imprisoned in a POCSO case during 2018-22. The NIA probe found that during his incarceration, he met T Naseer, a life convict in a terror case. Naseer recruited and radicalised Khan, who later began facilitating the collection and distribution of explosives for other terror operatives belonging to LeT.