Karnataka's Praveen Nettaru murder case: NIA nabs key accused

New Delhi, May 10 (PTI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday nabbed a key absconder who was affiliated with the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), along with his harbourer, for the gruesome murder of BJP activist Praveen Nettaru in Karnataka in July 2022, according to an official statement.

Nettaru, a BJP Yuva Morcha district executive committee member, was hacked to death by two motorcycle-borne assailants in Bellare village of Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka by allegedly PFI cadres.

Mustafa Paichar, who carried a reward of Rs 7 lakh and had non-bailable warrants against him, is the second absconding accused to be arrested in the case, said the statement issued by the NIA.

NIA had taken over the investigation on August 4, 2022 and in January 2023, filed a charge sheet against 21 accused, eight of whom had absconded after the crime.

The anti-terror agency had launched a manhunt for the absconders, and on Friday managed to trace Paichar to Anemahal village in Hassan District, Karnataka, it said.

"Paichar was arrested along with Mansoor Pasha, who had harboured the former," the NIA said.

NIA investigation has revealed that Mustafa Paichar, a resident of Sullia in Dakshina Kannada, was the secretary of PFI Puttur district service team.

"He was involved in imparting arms training to PFI cadres in the Freedom community hall in the area to prepare them for commission of terrorist attacks," it said.

Along with other accused, he was part of a larger conspiracy to target and kill Hindu leaders, the NIA said.

He had, in fact, formed a hit service team of PFI cadres for the purpose, it added.

"It was on his instructions that the hit service team had hacked Praveen Nettaru to death with sharp weapons in a public place," the NIA said.

The attack was aimed at striking terror among a section of people in the society, NIA investigations have shown, it said.

"The NIA on Friday nabbed a key absconder, with the help of sister agencies from the state, who was affiliated with the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), along with his harbourer, for the gruesome murder of BJP activist Praveen Nettaru in Karnataka in July 2022," the statement said.

Further Investigations are in progress to trace the other absconders, it added. PTI