NIA files supplementary chargesheet in 2023 prison radicalisation case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday filed a supplementary chargesheet in the 2023 Bengaluru prison radicalisation case, charging three more accused, including an assistant sub-inspector and a psychiatrist deputed at the Central Prisons Hospital, Parappana Agrahara.

The case already has 12 accused, of which eight, including the prime accused, pleaded guilty in July, 2025.

The module was busted in July, 2023, by the Bengaluru City Police. It was led by a habitual offender and red sanders smuggler Junaid Ahmed, who had allegedly been radicalised by alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba operative T. Naseer, an undertrial in several terror cases, lodged in the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison.

The police had recovered arms, ammunition, and digital devices, including hand grenades, but Junaid, said to be abroad, has been absconding since then. A probe into the case was taken over by the NIA, who claimed that investigations pointed to a plot to free T. Naseer, during transit to court.

Chan Pasha A., assistant sub-inspector, City Armed Reserve-South, Bengaluru, one of those chargesheeted on Thursday, allegedly received illegal gratification from a prime accused in the case, Salman Khan, for sharing information about the escort details of T. Naseer with whom he had connections while he was on prisoners’ escort duty.

Junaid’s mother Anees Fathima had allegedly helped Salman flee to Dubai and arranged his travel documents. She was also chargesheeted on Thursday. She is also accused of handling hand grenades and walkie-talkies on her son’s directives, and had facilitated communications between the various accused. Salman was subsequently extradited to India from The Republic of Rwanda.

Meanwhile, Nagaraj S., a psychiatrist posted at the Central Prisons Hospital, was allegedly involved in illegally smuggling mobile phones into the prison and selling them to the inmates for cash. “One of these phones had reached T. Naseer, who used it to communicate with his co-accused to conspire for promoting the terror plot,” the NIA said.

The accused have been booked under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, Explosive Substances Act, 1908, Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Karnataka Prisons Act, 1963.