NEW DELHI: The anti-terror federal probe agency NIA on Tuesday said that it has arrested a key absconding member of the Popular Front of India (PFI) in connection with its probe into the murder of RSS leader Srinivasan in Kerala.
A spokesperson of the NIA said Shafeekh, who had been absconding since the targeted killing of Srinivasan in Palakkad on April 16, 2022, was tracked by the agency’s Absconder Tracking Team (ATT) to Kollam district. He was taken into custody by the anti-terror agency for his involvement in the case, the official added.
“A total of 71 persons have been identified for their involvement in the horrendous conspiracy, in which NIA has already filed two charge sheets, on March 17, 2023 and November 6, 2023. One of the accused, identified as Abdul Naser, had died on January 2, 2023, while two absconders, Saheer K V and Jaffar Bheemantavida, were arrested respectively on October 19, 2023 and February 12, 2024,” the spokesperson said.
A resident of Malappuram district, Shafeekh was part of the PFI machinery and its hit squads that had carried out the heinous killing of Srinivasan, the NIA said, adding that the agency’s investigations revealed that he had harboured Ashraf K P, who, under directions from the PFI leadership, had conspired with others leaders and cadres of the organisation to execute the conspiracy. Ashraf had also conducted recce of various potential targets for elimination, the official said.
Reportedly, the RSS leader’s murder was alleged to have been carried out in revenge and retaliation for the killing of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) activist Subair, who was allegedly hacked to death by RSS workers in Elappully, Palakkad.