New Delhi, March 16 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against six accused for allegedly threatening witnesses in a bid to subvert the trial in the 2023 murder case of Puducherry BJP leader Senthil Kumaran, officials said on Monday.

The accused have been identified as Nithyanantham alias Nithi, Siva Sankar, Vengatesh, Ezhumalai, Heram alias TR alias Karthi and Udhayakumar.

They have been chargesheeted before the Puducherry Special Court under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the NIA Act.

According to the probe agency, four of the accused — Nithyanantham, Siva Sankar, Vengatesh and Ezhumalai — had earlier also been chargesheeted for their role in the main terror offence related to the killing of the BJP leader.

In the fresh chargesheet, the NIA has filed additional charges against these four and has also charged Karthi and Udhayakumar for allegedly unlawfully obtaining details of witnesses in the case, approaching them and issuing threats.

Senthil Kumaran, a local BJP leader, was murdered by six bike-borne assailants using explosives and lethal weapons in Villianur in Puducherry in March 2023. The case was initially registered by local police before being taken over by the NIA.

During the trial, investigations revealed that the four previously charged accused had conspired with the two others from inside Central Prison Kalapet and Special Prison Yanam in Puducherry to unlawfully obtain confidential documents, officials said.

The accused allegedly used the documents to identify witnesses in the case, including protected witnesses, with the intent to threaten them and prevent them from deposing before the trial court.

After discovering the conspiracy, the officials said that the NIA moved the court seeking the transfer of the prime accused, Nithyanantham, from Central Prison Kalapet to Special Prison Yanam.

The agency had also arrested two of his accomplices and taken them into remand. In September 2025, NIA conducted searches at the prisons and residences of the conduits and seized several incriminating materials linked to the conspiracy.

“Investigations in the instant witness sabotage conspiracy case are continuing, and the NIA has appealed to all citizens to share any information in this regard, with the promise to keep their identity secret,” the agency said.

–IANS

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