New Delhi, Sep 27 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA), probing the murder of RSS leader Sreenivasan, has filed the charge sheet against the main assailant Shamnad E K, a member of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), the agency said on Saturday.

According to the NIA, Shamnad E K alias Shamnad Ellikkal has been charged under various sections of the IPC and the UAPA Act in the supplementary chargesheet filed before the NIA Special Court, Ernakulam (Kerala).

”The absconding accused was arrested in April this year after a 3-year-long hunt by the NIA, which is continuing with its search for the remaining absconders in the case,” the NIA said in a press statement.

Armed cadres of the banned PFI had brutally killed Sreenivasan in Palakkad in 2022.

Notably, a total of 71 accused have so far been identified in the case.

Shamnad, the 65th accused to be chargesheeted in the case, had carried a reward of Rs 7 lakh while he was evading arrest.

According to the national agency, he was a trained cadre of the banned PFI terror outfit and a member of its ‘Service Wing’, responsible for carrying out terrorist acts, as per NIA investigations.

In the run-up to the brutal murder of Sreenivasan, the accused had undergone arms and physical training at various PFI centres in Malappuram district, such as Malabar House at Randathani, Green Valley at Manjeri and PFI office at Achipilakkal, investigations by NIA have further revealed.

The killing was part of PFI’s conspiracy to unleash terror with the nefarious agenda of establishing Islamic Rule in India by 2047.

It is pertinent to note here that NIA in June this year filed a supplementary charge sheet before the NIA Special Court in Ernakulam, naming Rafeek M S, as the 64th individual to be formally charged in the case.

He had been booked under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

According to the NIA, Rafeek, an active PFI cadre, conspired with others involved in the terror attack on Sreenivasan. He harboured key accused Muhammad Shefeek, a core member of the conspiracy team, and destroyed evidence related to the crime.

Notably, Rafeek continued to shelter Shefeek even after PFI was banned by the Government of India in September 2022.

–IANS

sas/uk