NIA takes over Kerala train arson case from Kerala police

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the Kerala train fire tragedy case and started its probe, charging the “highly radicalised” arrested accused Shahrukh Safi, sources said.

The move followed an order issued by the Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalization (CTCR) division under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). As it was a clear case of terrorism involving many states, the NIA invoked the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act based on its doubts that the accused was sent to the state by his handlers and that he got enough local help, according to the sources.

The anti-terror agency took over the case from Kerala Police, which has been probing it under UAPA. The NIA’s action comes days after the accused, identified as Shahrukh Saifi, who also suffered burn injuries during the terror act, was slapped with murder charges on Friday under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code by a district session court in Kozhikode.

Saifi, 27, a native of Shaheen Bagh in Delhi, was arrested by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Maharashtra Police and Central Intelligence on Wednesday and was brought to Kozhikode earlier this month, where he was receiving treatment for the injuries.

At the time of interrogation by a special investigation team (SIT), Saifi provided contradictory statements in which initially he said he was being used by someone and later retracted, saying everything was planned and executed by him alone.

The NIA is learned to be investigating the larger conspiracy, as part of which Saifi, assessed by Kerala police to be “highly radicalised” and influenced by inflammatory speeches of Islamic evangelist Zakir Naik, planned and executed the act of arson.

The agency will also look at possible handlers and aides that may have been part of this conspiracy and examine the inter-state linkages, considering that Saifi is a resident of Shaheen Bagh in Delhi and was arrested in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra.