NIA arrests another key accused from Delhi airport in Karnataka BJP leader murder case

New Delhi, Dec 20 (PTI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday arrested from Delhi airport a man wanted in the brutal murder of BJP leader Praveen Nettaru in Karnataka in 2022.
     Kodaje Mohammed Sherif, who had a lookout circular issued against him, was picked up on arrival from Bahrain at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here, NIA in a statement said.
     Sherif, it said, is the state executive member of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) outfit.
     BJP Yuva Morcha member Nettaru was hacked to death by PFI cadres and members on July 26, 2022, in Bellare village of Sullia Taluk in Dakshina Kannada district.
     NIA, which took over the investigation on August 4, 2022, has so far arrested 20 people and chargesheeted 23, including three absconders, the statement said.
     According to the NIA investigation, Sherif headed the PFI's service team and was responsible for conveying the instructions for targeted killings after discussion at the Front's state executive committee.
     It was on these instructions that another accused, Mustafa Paichar, and his team brutally hacked Nettaru to death, the agency said.
     The murder was aimed at spreading terror, communal hatred and unrest in the society, the NIA investigation revealed.
     Investigations to unfold the complete conspiracy and arrest the absconders are continuing, the statement said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)