Pramesh S Jain & Dr.Thomas (Sub-Editor)
Continuing investigation into Rameshwaram cafe blast case,the NIA officials on Friday arrested ex convict of terror case for providing logistics help to the key conspirators.
The arrest followed by a three days of massive crackdown across four states before arresting one more accused, identified as an ex-convict in a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror conspiracy case.
The accused identified as Shoaib Ahmed Mirza @ Chhotu,35,a resident of Hubbali City,Karnataka,has been termed fifth accused to be arrested in the case.
NIA investigations revealed that Mirza,who was convicted earlier in an LeT Bengaluru conspiracy case, had got involved in this fresh conspiracy after being released from jail.
In 2018,he had befriended and introduced accused Abdul Matheen Taha to an online handler suspected to be abroad.
Mirza had further provided an e-mail ID for encrypted communication between the handler and Abdul Matheen Taha,who was arrested earlier on April 12 from his hideout in Kolkata along with co-accused Mussavir Hussain Shazib.
During the course of its investigation into the Rameshwaram Café Blast,which took place on took place on March 1 2024,NIA has so far conducted extensive searches at 29 locations across India.
Further investigations into the role of handler and larger conspiracy behind the blast,which left several injured and caused extensive damage to property, are continuing.
