Bengaluru; The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has announced the arrest of Salman Rehman Khan, a key member of the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), who was hiding in Rwanda. Khan wanted in connection with an explosives procurement case related to terrorist activities planned in Bengaluru, has now been extradited to India. This marks a significant breakthrough in the ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and ensure the safety of the public.
The arrest was made following a coordinated operation involving the CBI’s Global Operations Unit and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Rehman Khan was allegedly involved in procuring explosives and weapons intended for use in terrorist activities in Bengaluru, one of India’s largest metropolitan cities. According to the CBI, Salman Rehman Khan had been actively working on consolidating explosives for attacks in the city.
Salman Rehman Khan had managed to evade arrest after fleeing the country. However, the authorities tracked him to Rwanda, where he had been hiding for some time. Upon receiving intelligence from the NIA, the CBI sought assistance from international agencies, and a Red Corner Notice was issued against Khan. This led to his arrest in Rwanda, and following diplomatic and legal procedures, he was swiftly extradited to India.
Salman Rehman Khan’s ties to terrorism date back to his time in Parappana Agrahara Jail,in Bengaluru where he was incarcerated between 2018 and 2022. During his prison sentence, Khan became acquainted with T. Nasir, an inmate who was already linked to several terror activities. Nasir, who had been actively involved in brainwashing fellow prisoners, including Rehman, played a key role in radicalizing him during their time in jail.
T Nasir, an accused in multiple terror-related cases, is believed to have influenced Khan towards terrorism and encouraged him to carry out militant activities after their release. It was during this period that Rehman Khan became increasingly involved with terror groups, specifically Lashkar-e-Taiba, and began aiding in the planning of attacks in Bengaluru.
Following his release from prison, Khan resumed his work for the terrorist group and began organizing terror operations in Bengaluru with the help of his associates, including Nasir. The NIA and CBI had been on his trail for some time before he managed to flee the country, but their persistence eventually led to his arrest in Rwanda.
The investigation revealed that Salman Rehman Khan had been working to procure explosives, weapons, and ammunition for planned attacks in Bengaluru. Intelligence sources suggest that his efforts were part of a broader terror network operating in the region, with links to Pakistan-based terror organizations like Lashkar-e-Taiba. Authorities believe that his arrest could potentially unravel a larger conspiracy involving multiple operatives and sleeper cells in Bengaluru and other cities across India.
The NIA had requested the CBI to issue a Red Corner Notice for Khan’s arrest, which eventually led to the successful operation in Rwanda. With his extradition to India, Khan is now facing multiple charges related to terrorism, including conspiracy, illegal arms procurement, and involvement in terror activities aimed at destabilizing peace and security in India.
CBI बैंगलुरु धमाके के आरोपी मोहम्मद सलमान रहमान खान को रवांडा से भारत डिपोर्ट कर लायी है।
सलमान लश्कर ए तैयबा का आतंकी है और 5 वक्त का नमाजी है।#NIA ने मो. सलमान सहित 8 आरोपियों के विरुद्ध जनवरी 2024 में चार्जशीट दाखिल की थी। pic.twitter.com/CdktXIuF5k
— Prashant Umrao (@ippatel) November 28, 2024
The NIA has lauded the efforts of the CBI in securing Khan’s arrest and extradition. The agency has emphasized that this arrest is part of a larger crackdown on terror activities in the country and will aid in dismantling the networks responsible for planning and executing attacks. The NIA is also expected to intensify its investigations into Khan’s associates and the logistics of the explosives procurement network he was involved in.
The authorities are hopeful that Khan’s extradition will lead to critical insights into the functioning of Lashkar-e-Taiba cells operating in India, as well as their connections to other global terror networks. His interrogation is expected to shed light on the methods of operation, funding, and planning of terrorist activities within India.
Salman Rehman Khan, a suspected member of the international terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, faces charges for his involvement in supplying weapons, ammunition, and explosives to facilitate terrorist activities in Bengaluru. An FIR was filed against him in 2023 at the Hebbal police station in Bengaluru.
In addition to the local charges, Khan is subject to a Red Notice issued by Interpol on August 2, 2024, which enables global law enforcement agencies to track his whereabouts and capture him.
Khan, alongside his associate Junaid Ahmad, had been evading arrest in connection with a prominent case involving the radicalization of inmates at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru. This case, initially brought to light by the Bengaluru city police, led investigators to uncover a hidden stash of weapons, including seven pistols, four hand grenades, a magazine, 45 live ammunition rounds, and four walkie-talkies.
Thanks to the efforts of the Interpol National Central Bureau in Kigali, Rwanda, Salman Rehman Khan was located and apprehended. He was brought back to India by a security team on November 28. His extradition marks the third high-profile criminal to be brought back to India by the CBI in just one month and the 26th extradition this year alone.
Since 2021, more than 100 criminals have been returned to India as part of coordinated operations with Interpol. Earlier this month, another individual, Barkat Ali Khan, who was wanted for rioting and the use of explosives in Mumbai, was extradited from Saudi Arabia. Additionally, Raihan Arabikkalalarikkal, who was facing charges related to sexual offenses against a minor, was brought back to Kerala on November 10, following his extradition from Saudi Arabia.
These successful extraditions reflect the ongoing commitment of Indian law enforcement, in partnership with international agencies, to bring wanted criminals to justice and dismantle terror networks.
