Following reports linking a BJP worker to the Rameshwaram Cafe blast in Bengaluru, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) issued a statement cautioning against disclosing witness identities. While the NIA did not directly refute the claims regarding the BJP worker, it clarified that individuals being summoned in connection with the case are being treated as witnesses.
In an official statement, the NIA emphasized the sensitivity of the investigation, noting that revealing witness identities could compromise the integrity of the probe and pose risks to individuals involved.
The agency stated that its investigators are diligently gathering evidence and information, which includes questioning acquaintances and associates of both absconding and arrested suspects. This process extends to individuals from various stages of the accused persons’ lives, including college and school acquaintances.
Earlier allegations by Karnataka’s health minister, Dinesh Gundu Rao, suggested that the NIA had detained a BJP worker in connection with the blast. However, the NIA’s statement indicated that the individual in question is being treated as a witness, not as a detained suspect. It was reported that one of the accused purchased a second-hand phone from a shop owned by the BJP worker in Thirthahalli.
The arrest of key suspect Muzammil Shareef on March 26 marked a significant development in the Rameshwaram Cafe blast case. Shareef, believed to have provided logistical support to other accused individuals, was apprehended following extensive raids across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.
Meanwhile, the prime suspect, Mussavir Shazeeb Hussain, and his accomplice Abdul Matheen Taha remain at large. The NIA had announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for any information leading to their arrest, promising confidentiality to informants.
The blast, which occurred at the eatery on ITPL road in Bengaluru’s Brookefield area on March 1, involved an improvised explosive device (IED). It resulted in injuries to customers and staff and caused damage to the establishment.