NIA announces reward for info on Ramalingam killers

The wanted criminals were identified as M Rahman Sadiq (39), Mohammad Ali Jinnah (34), Abdul Majith (37), Bhurkhanudeen (28), Shahul Hameed (27) and NafeelHassan (28), all hailing from Thanjavur.

The NIA had filed a chargesheet against the 18 suspects, including the six absconding men. The other accused are Mohamed Asarudeen (26), Mohamed Riyas (27), Nijam Ali (33), Sarbudeen (61), Mohamed Rizwan (23), Mohamed Thoufik (25), Mohamed Farvees (26), Thowheeth Batcha (26), Mohammed Ibrahim (50), Mohamed Faruk (47), Myden Ahamed Shali (50) and Mohamed Hasan Kuthous (32).

The NIA took over the case from the Tamil Nadu Police on April 25.

The NIA’s investigation revealed that the accused hatched a criminal conspiracy and murdered Ramalingam after he had an altercation with the Dawah team linked to Popular Front of India (PFI) on February 5 at Pakku Vinayagam Thopu village.

The NIA had invoked sections of 120B, 341, 294(b), 302, 212 and 153A(1)(b) of IPC and section 16(1)(a), 18, 18-B, 19 and 20 of the UA (P) Act, in its chargesheet, which said that the accused were all activists/functionaries of PFI/SDPI and had conspired to kill Ramalingam for reportedly interfering in their religious propagation activity at Pakku Vinayagam Thopu village in Tiruvidaimarudur.

Three of the accused had lethally attacked Ramalingam and caused his death while two other suspects had facilitated the same through reconnaissance over the victim’s movements. While one suspect had provided the vehicle, another had harboured the assailants.