Court grants custody of PFI activist to NIA for five days

Kochi, Dec 1 A court here on Monday granted the NIA custody of a PFI activist allegedly involved in the killing of an RSS leader in Kerala three years ago.

The accused, Shahul Hameed (50), a native of Vavannur South, Koottanadu in Palakkad, was arrested recently after absconding for three years.

Special Court for National Investigation Agency (NIA) Cases Judge P. K. Mohandas granted Hameed’s custody till December 5 in connection with the murder of RSS leader Sreenivasan in April 2022.

In its custody application, the NIA said Hameed was the 50th accused in the case and part of a larger PFI conspiracy to implement their 'India 2047' agenda of establishing Islamic rule in the country. The agency alleged that Hameed had harboured the 18th accused in the case.

Hameed later fled abroad and was arrested at the New Delhi airport on November 27 after a Look Out Circular was issued against him.

The NIA said digital devices seized from Hameed have been produced before the court to be sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Hyderabad for analysis.

The agency added that the investigation revealed that Hameed had used various digital devices and social media platforms for secret communication before, during, and after the crime.

The NIA also stated that Hameed was involved in other criminal cases in Kerala and that his links with other absconding accused needed to be investigated.

Opposing the plea, Hameed’s counsel argued that the investigation was complete and a charge sheet had already been filed, making custodial interrogation unnecessary.

However, the court noted that the filing of a charge sheet is not a ground to deny police custody.

"On going through the reasons reported by the learned Public Prosecutor and on consideration of the progress of investigation, I am of the view that custodial interrogation of the accused is necessary to unearth the entire role played by him in the commission of the offence," the court said.

The court granted his custody till 12 noon on December 5 and directed that he shall not be harassed while in custody and shall be medically examined.

Sreenivasan, a former district leader and office-bearer of the RSS, was attacked by a six-member gang at Melamuri, Palakkad, on April 16, 2022.