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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against four individuals in connection with the explosion that occurred at Bengaluru's Rameshwaram Cafe on March 1st, 2024. The incident resulted in injuries to ten people, highlighting the gravity of the situation and the need for a comprehensive investigation. The chargesheet, filed on Monday, implicates Mussavir Hussain Shazib, Abdul Matheen Ahmed Taaha, Maaz Muneer Ahmed, and Muzammil Shareef under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Explosive Substances Act, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act (PDLP Act). All four accused are currently in judicial custody, facing charges related to their alleged involvement in the cafe blast.
The NIA's investigation revealed that Shazib, one of the accused, played a crucial role in planting the improvised explosive device (IED) at the Rameshwaram Cafe. He had been absconding since 2020 along with Taaha, another accused, following the disruption of the Al-Hind module. The agency's extensive search efforts finally led to their arrest in West Bengal, 42 days after the cafe blast. The NIA investigation further revealed that both Shazib and Taaha, hailing from Shivamogga district in Karnataka, were affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and had previously plotted to join ISIS territories in Syria. They were actively involved in radicalizing other young Muslims and indoctrinating them with ISIS ideology. Maaz Muneer Ahmed and Muzammil Shareef, the other two accused, were reportedly among those influenced by Shazib and Taaha.
The NIA investigation uncovered a complex web of activities employed by the accused, including the use of fraudulently obtained Indian SIM cards and the creation of bank accounts. They utilized various Indian and Bangladeshi identity documents, sourced from the Dark Web, to maintain their anonymity and evade detection. The probe also established a connection between Taaha and Shoaib Ahmed Mirza, an ex-convict, who introduced him to Mohammed Shaheed Faisal, an absconder in the Lashkar-e-Toiba Bengaluru conspiracy case. Taaha then facilitated an introduction between Faisal, his handler, and Mehaboob Pasha, an accused in the Al-Hind ISIS module case, and later to Khaja Mohideen, the Amir (leader) of ISIS South India. This network of individuals played a crucial role in facilitating the accused's radicalization and their involvement in the cafe blast. A significant revelation in the investigation was the funding mechanism employed by Taaha and Shazib, who received financial support through cryptocurrencies. They converted these digital currencies to fiat (conventional currency) using Telegram-based peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms. These funds were used to finance various acts of violence, including the failed IED attack at the State BJP Office in Bengaluru's Malleshwaram, which was planned to coincide with the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ayodhya on January 22nd, 2024.