On 5th April, a shocking piece of news made it to the headlines of many mainstream media networks regarding the Rameshwaram cafe blast in Karnataka’s Bengaluru which claimed that Sai Prasad, a Bharatiya Janata Party member, was detained by the National Investigation Agency in connection to the case. The charge was amplified by the Congress party, its leader and the entire liberal ecosystem. It was claimed NIA has detained Sai Prasad is an accused and he has links with the other accused in the case.
However, other reports emerged in contradiction to the allegation and asserted that the agency only summoned him as a witness. Later, NIA issued a press release clarifying that Prasad is an witness in the case, and not an accused.
The official handle of Congress utilised the opportunity to attack the ruling party and commented, “On 1st March, a blast occurred at Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru in which more than 10 people were injured. Now, the NIA has detained a BJP leader in this case. His connection with the blast has come to light. You will not find this development in any TV news and you know the reason. The question is why does the BJP always have a terrorist connection?”
Supriya Shrinate, the Congress spokesperson who recently courted controversy because of her misogynistic views regarding actress and BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Mandi, Kangana Ranaut also blamed the BJP and wrote, “The NIA has now arrested a BJP leader in connection with the bomb blast at Rameswaram Cafe in Bengaluru in March. There is pin-drop silence in the media. No breaking news and no chest-beating anchors. The BJP appears to have been stunned to silence, but why is there always a connection to terrorism?”
Rajeev Reddy, Vice President of the Telangana Youth Congress used the alleged breaking news to demand Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resignation. He further accused, “There is no other shameful example of playing the life of citizens of the country to win elections.”
The National President of the Indian Youth Congress, Srinivas BV who is infamous for harassing female leaders in his party responded with “Hey Ram” in an attempt to mock the Bharatiya Janata Party while sharing a news article about the same allegation. He added, “I am not surprised, are you?”
Notably, several media reports said that Sai Prasad, a BJP member from Thirthahalli, sells secondhand mobile phones and works as a painter. He had received a notification from the National Investigation Agency asking him to appear for questioning about the Rameshwaram Cafe bomb case.
He was in contact with the two Muslims whose Thirthahalli homes and cell phone store were raided by the NIA last week, reported Public TV English. Moreover, Sai Prasad reportedly started painting the residence of one of the perpetrators recently, according to sources who additionally mentioned that he could potentially be called as a witness in the case.
As per a report by India Today, Sai Prasad had sold his old phone to a mobile shop owner, who in turn sold it to Muzammil. This phone was reportedly used by Muzammil to contact the two other accused in the case. Therefore, Sai didn’t even sold his phone to the terrorists directly, he had sold it to a shop owner who had sold it to Muzammil. The phone was recovered by the NIA after the arrest of Muzamil.
When the mobile phone was traced, it was found that it was originally Sai Prasad’s mobile. For the same reason, both of them, Sai and the shop owners, have been interrogated by NIA to testify. Thus, they gave statements to the NIA regarding the phone, and they are not accused in the case.
Furthermore, India Today journalist Rajdeep Sardesai also posted a tweet stating that “the man was not linked to the blast” and “was only detained for questioning.”
Meanwhile, amid reports claiming that Sai Prasad is linked to the blast, NIA issued an official press release asking that any details regarding the identities of the witnesses not be disclosed as this could jeopardize the investigation and put the people who are being called into danger. Furthermore, it emphasised that unreliable news reports interfere with conducting thorough inquiries into the situation.
The notification read, “As part of investigation into Rameshwaram Café Blast dated 01.03.2024 at ITPL Road, Whitefield, Bengaluru (RC-01/2024/NIA/BLR), NIA has identified the accused person who carried out the IED blast as one Mussavir Hussain Shazib and co-conspirator as Abdul Matheen Taahaa both r/o Thirthahalli, Shivamogga District.”
— NIA India (@NIA_India) April 5, 2024
The press release noted, “Further, as part of the investigation one Muzammil Shareef r/o Khalsa, Chikkamagaluru, who extended logistics support to the main accused persons, was arrested on 26.03.2024 and was examined in police custody. As part of efforts to locate and arrest the absconding accused persons, NIA conducted searches on 18 locations in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. Further, rewards of rupees Ten Lakhs on each of the absconders were declared on 29.03.2024.”
It highlighted, “NIA to gather evidence and information in the case have been summoning and examining all of the acquaintances including college and school time friends of the absconding and arrested accused persons. The case being a terror incident, any information on the identity of the witnesses may apart from hampering the investigation, may also put to risk the individuals being summoned. Also, unverified news items hamper effective investigations in the case. NIA requests the cooperation of all in the arrest of absconding accused persons.”
As NIA has said that three persons named Mussavir Hussain Shazib, Abdul Matheen Taahaa and Muzammil Shareef are the accused in the case, it is clear that Sai Prasad is not an accused. Moreover, while the NIA has not directly stated that Sai is a witness, given that the statement was issued after the media reports about him, makes it clear that the the clarification was issued in response the misleading reports and claims.
NIA has said that it has been summoning and examining all of the acquaintances including college and school time friends of the absconding and arrested accused persons, which means that everyone questioned by NIA in relation to the case is not an accused, but they are questioned only as witnesses, to gather information.
NIA said that any information on the identity of the witnesses may apart from hampering the investigation also put the individuals being summoned in risk, which indicates that the media reports identifying Sai Prasad has, the media reports have hampers the probe have put Sai under risk.
