Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe Blast Case: Key Conspirator Muzammil Shareef Arrested By NIA

In a major breakthrough in the Rameshwaram Café blast case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday (27 March) arrested a key conspirator following massive raids across multiple locations in three states.

"Muzammil Shareef was picked up and placed in custody as a co-conspirator after NIA teams cracked down at 18 locations, including 12 in Karnataka, five in Tamil Nadu and one in Uttar Pradesh," the anti-terror probe agency said in a statement on Thursday (28 March).

NIA, which took over the case on 3 March, had earlier identified the main accused, Mussavir Shazeeb Hussain, who had carried out the blast.

It had also identified another conspirator, Abdul Matheen Taha, who is also wanted by the agency in other cases.

Both the men are on the run.

"Muzammil Shareef had extended logistic support to the other two identified accused in the case, involving an IED explosion at the Café located at ITPL road, Brookefield, Bengaluru, on 1st March," NIA said.

Several customers and hotel staff members were injured, some of them grievously, in the blast, which caused extensive damage to the property, it added.

Raids were conducted today at the houses of all these three accused, as well as the residential premises and shops of other suspects, the agency said, adding that various digital devices were seized during the searches, along with cash.

Further, it added that efforts are on to nab the absconding accused and unearth the larger conspiracy behind the blast.

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