Wilson murder probe to be taken up by NIA

Like any other NIA cases linked to the IS, this case has also been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, sources here said. The suspected killers, Abdul Shameem and Thofeeq, were produced before a magistrate on Thursday night after marathon grilling and later lodged in Palayamkottai prison in the middle of the night. Both have been remanded in judicial custody till January 20.

The UAP Act provides special procedures to deal with terrorist activities, among other things and allows detention of suspects in judicial custody for a longer period. The Act empowers the government to designate individuals as terrorists for committing or participating in acts of terrorism, preparing for terrorism, promoting terrorism, or otherwise involving in terrorism.

Meanwhile in Bengaluru, the Karnataka police nabbed Al Umma leader Mehboob Pasha (45) and three others for allegedly planning to whip up communal trouble there. The reports from there said the police suspected Pasha of being involved in Wilson’s murder.

Shameem and Thofeeq murdered the policeman hours after TN police disclosed that they had arrested three members of the Bengaluru IS module. Shameem, his mentor Khaja Moideen and Syed Ali Nawaz, arrested for murder of Hindu Munnani activist KP Suresh Kumar in 2014, had disappeared from police radar more than a month ago.