BENGALURU: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has announced a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh for information leading to the arrest of Junaid Ahmed (33), the alleged mastermind in a prison radicalisation and terror conspiracy case linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Junaid Ahmed, who is currently absconding, is accused of radicalising fellow inmates inside Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Central Prison and motivating them to carry out terrorist activities aimed at threatening India’s sovereignty and security. The NIA said the identities of informants who provided credible leads would be kept strictly confidential.
In its second supplementary chargesheet filed recently, the agency named Junaid’s mother, Anees Fathima, Assistant Sub-Inspector Chan Pasha A, and Dr Nagaraj S, a former prison doctor at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, as accused. They have been charged under various sections of the IPC, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Explosive Substances Act, the Prevention of Corruption Act, and the Karnataka Prisons Act.
Background of the case
The conspiracy was first unearthed in 2023 when Bengaluru Police exposed a plot to carry out terror acts in the city. Investigations revealed that certain undertrial prisoners had established contact with LeT operatives while serving jail terms in local cases. Acting on intelligence inputs, police seized arms, ammunition, digital devices and other incriminating materials allegedly stockpiled for future attacks.
The probe also uncovered a plan to facilitate the escape of T. Nazeer, a convict in the 2008 Bengaluru serial blasts case, while he was being escorted to court. The NIA took over the case in October 2023 and subsequently filed chargesheets against nine accused, including Junaid Ahmed.
T. Nazeer’s name had figured prominently in investigations into the July 2008 serial blasts in Bengaluru, in which at least nine bombs were detonated across the city, killing one person and injuring several others. An NIA court had convicted Nazeer in 2011 under provisions of the UAPA, and he continues to serve a life sentence for his role in terror-related activities, including assisting LeT recruitment efforts.
Though he was acquitted in some other blast-related cases by courts in Kerala in subsequent years, security agencies maintain that Nazeer remained active in radicalising inmates from within prison.
Role of co-accused
According to the NIA, Anees Fathima allegedly provided logistical support and funds to T. Nazeer inside prison. Acting on her son Junaid’s instructions, she is accused of procuring hand grenades and walkie-talkies and facilitating communication between various operatives. Investigators also alleged that she sheltered key accused Salman Khan and helped arrange his travel documents to enable his escape to Dubai. He was later traced to Rwanda and deported to India.
The agency’s findings indicate that Nazeer had built a core network inside prison comprising Mohammed Umar, Faisal Rabbani, Tanveer Ahmed, Mohammed Farooq and Junaid Ahmed. After their release, they allegedly coordinated fundraising, arms procurement and operational planning for LeT.
In December 2023, the NIA conducted raids and seized arms, ammunition, cash and digital evidence from premises linked to the accused. In March 2024, further searches were conducted across multiple states, including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Punjab, Gujarat, and West Bengal, as part of an expanded investigation into the alleged pan-India network.
