COIMBATORE: THE NIA has taken custody of Thaha Nazeer (27) and Mohammed Idris (25) who were arrested in connection with the car blast in front of Sangameshwarar Temple at Kottaimedu on October 23, 2022, and brought them to the city on Saturday for investigation.
The NIA filed a petition before the special court for NIA cases at Poonamallee in Chennai, seeking custody of the two persons. The court granted custody from Saturday evening and directed the agency to produce the accused before it on December 8 evening. Following the court orders, NIA brought them to its temporary office at Police Recruits School in Coimbatore city on Saturday night.
Sources said the two allegedly played a vital role in criminal conspiracy in connection with the blast.
Nazeer, son of Abdul Kadar of Podanur, was arrested in November. He had met the deceased, Jamesha Mubeen, a few days before the blast. They were chatting at a rented house on HMPR Street in Kottaimedu and sat in the hall where explosive materials were kept in carton boxes. Nazeer met Mubeen again a day before the blast. NIA suspects Nazeer was aware of a blast being planned.
NIA arrested Idris (25) of GM Nagar at South Ukkadam in August. Idris is a close friend of Mubeen. He was arrested by NIA after a detailed investigation revealed his alleged involvement in the blast. So far, 14 people have been arrested in connection with the ISIS-inspired IED blast.