KOCHI: The NIA Court on Thursday, as part of the trial in the Kanakamala Islamic State (IS) case in which youth from Kerala who allegedly became part of a terror module, examined the Chief Investigation Officer of the case. NIA DSP AP Shaukat Ali, the Chief Investigation Officer in the case, appeared before the court. Shaukat Ali deposed it was following a complaint by an officer from NIA, New Delhi, and a subsequent directive by the MHA, an FIR was registered and an investigation was launched.
On October 1, 2016, the NIA officer reached Kanakamala in Kannur district. There, they found five persons sitting under a cashew tree. One person was addressing the gathering. The officer submitted one of the accused was saying the condition of the Muslims has deteriorated in India. He urged to carry out Jihad in affiliation with the IS. They were later brought to Kerala Police’s Armed Reserve Camp in Koilandy. Based on statements recorded from the accused persons, searches were carried out at numerous places.
Once the examination of the Chief Investigation Officer concludes, the witness examination stage as part of the trial will come to an end. The court has examined 102 witnesses in the case. Later, the procedure under CrPC Section 313, in which the accused will be given a questionnaire, will be completed. Prosecutor Arjun Ambalapatta is representing the anti-terror agency in the case being heard by NIA Judge P Krishna Kumar.
It was in October 2016 the NIA team busted the IS module from Kanakamala where they were holding a clandestine meeting. The group had allegedly made preparations to carry out terror attacks against prominent persons, including judges, police officers and politicians, and at places where foreign nationals gather.