NIA Reveals Chennai Link to Bengaluru's Rameshwaram Cafe Blast | Shocking Details Emerge

Bengaluru: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has got vital clues in connection with the Bengaluru cafe bomb blast that rocked the city on March 1, which left at least 10 people injured. The central probe agency has established a link between the Bengaluru blast and Chennai. 

After examining more than 1,000 CCTV footage and continuous investigation, the NIA officials have traced two suspects. It has come to light that the two suspects lived in Chennai in January and February. The NIA sleuths found the vital clues from the cap worn by the suspected bomber as it was purchased by the suspect from a mall in Chennai. 

Two Suspects Lived in Chennai for Over a Month: NIA

Hailing from Thirthahalli in Karnataka’s Shivamogga district, the suspect had been staying in Chennai for more than a month since January. The suspect has been identified as Mussavir Hussain Shazib. The cap was purchased by his accomplice at RK Salai mall in Chennai. His accomplice, identified as Abdul Mateen Taha, is wanted for murder of Tamil Nadu inspector K Wilson. It is learnt that the two had stayed at Triplicane in Chennai for more than a month.

Bomber's Cap Bought From Chennai Mall: NAI

Taha is also a native of Thirthahalli and is part of the ISIS module in Shivamogga. He used to wear a cap always as he was bald. He had bought it while staying at a lodge in Triplicane. The suspected bomber was wearing the same cap on the day of the blast. These caps are a limited edition series and there were 400 of it sold. The NIA sleuths found CCTV footage where it showed Taha buying the cap from Anna Salai mall in Chennai. This cap was left by the bomber a few kilometers away after bombing at the Rameshwaram cafe. The investigating officers tracked the cap to Chennai after going through the serial number on the cap which was purchased at the end of January. It was then that information was obtained about Taha and Shazib were wanted by the NIA in the 2020 case. 
 

Background of 2020 Terror Cases in Which Shazib and Taha Were Involved

The NIA filed a supplementary chargesheet against an Islamic State (is) terrorist in the al-hind module case at NIA special court in Bengaluru on September 3, 2021
The chargesheet was filed on September 3 against accused Shihabudeen under Section 120 b of IPC, Section 25 (1) (a) of Arms Act 1959 and sections 18, 20, 38 and 39 of the unlawful activities (prevention) act 1967.
The case was earlier registered at Sadduguntepalya police station in Bengaluru against Mehboob Pasha and 16 others in 2020. 

Accused Mehboob Pasha, a resident of Gurappanapalya in Bengaluru, in association with Khaja Moideen, accused in several cases registered in Tamil Nadu related to terrorism, murder of hindu leaders, formed a terrorist group by recruiting young muslims in south India. 

The NIA had re-registered the case on January 23 2020, and an investigation was taken up. The probe revealed that Shihabudeen was part of the larger conspiracy and as per the directions of Khaja Moideen, he had collected and handed over arms and ammunition in Mumbai to other accused persons. These arms were further used in the murder of SSI Wilson of Tamil Nadu police.