2019 Ramalingam murder case: NIA arrests 6th PFI absconder carrying Rs 5 lakh bounty, another harbourer

In a statement, the NIA said its investigations have revealed the role of Jinnah, a former district president of PFI, Thanjavur district, in conspiring, supervising and coordinating with other accused in the brutal killing. The agency, which caught Jinnah on the basis of information received from the Anti-Terrorist Squad unit of the Tamil Nadu police on Tuesday, also arrested Asmath, who had harboured the proclaimed offenders in the case for the past several years. Just five days ago, NIA had arrested two more absconding proclaimed offenders and three other harbourers in the case (RC-06/2019/NIA/DLI.) The proclaimed offenders-- identified as Mohamed Burhanudeen and Mohamed Nabil Hasan-- both residents of Thanjavur district in Tamil Nadu, were on the run for nearly seven years since the killing of Ramalingam. They were caught from Pallikonda in the Vellore district of Tamil Nadu on the basis of inputs received by the NIA from sister agencies. Members of PFI, Thanjavur district, the "duo had conspired and coordinated with several others to murder Ramalingam by chopping his hands."

To date, all six of the accused, subsequently declared proclaimed offenders, have been arrested, and a reward of Rs 5 lakh each was announced for their arrest. Earlier this month, the NIA also arrested three more harbourers involved in the case. Hailing from the Chennai district, K Mohideen, Mohamed Imran and Thameem Ansari were found to have facilitated the concealment and movement of the absconders after the murder. The agency, which had taken over the probe from Thiruvidaimaruthur Police on March 7, 2019 and filed the chargesheet in August 2019, is continuing to investigate the conspiracy behind the murder. (ANI)