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NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a chargesheet in the case relating to the murder of veterinary chemist Umesh Prahladrao Kolhe in Amravati, Maharashtra, in June 2022, describing the killing as an act of revenge against Kolhe’s social media post in support of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma‘s controversial remarks about the Prophet.
All the 11 accused named in the chargesheet – Mudhassir Ahmed, Shahrukh Kha, Abdul Taufeeque Shaikh, Mohammad Shoeb, Atib Rashid, Yusuf Khan, Irfan Khan, Abdul Arbaz, Mushifique Ahmad, Shaikh Shakil and Shahim Ahemad – are residents of Amravati.
NIA on Friday said its investigation revealed that a criminal conspiracy was hatched by the accused by constituting a terrorist gang to carry out the attack.
The accused, working with common intention, waylaid Kolhe in a public area at Ghantaghar, Amravati, and murdered him with an aim to strike terror among people, said an NIA spokesperson. They have all been chargesheeted under Sections 120B, 341, 302, 153-A, 201, 118, 505, 506 and 34 of IPC and Sections 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
On Friday, an NIA official told TOI that no link to any banned organisation, like the Popular Front of India or Islamic State, was established in the Kolhe murder case. It is suspected that the accused were self-radicalised, and chose to use violent means to “punish” what they perceived as “blasphemy”.
The Kolhe murder case was initially registered by the city kotwali police station, Amravati, and re-registered by NIA on July 2 this year. The Amravati police had intially suspected robbery as the motive. However, after the killing of tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur over social media posts in favour of Nupur, days after Kolhe was murdered in Amravati, there was a demand from BJP members in Maharashtra to also explore a likely revenge angle in the case.
After the Union home minister handed over the Kolhe murder case to NIA, the probe revealed a common thread of “revenge killing” and “pro-Nupur Sharma posts”.
While 10 accused in the Kolhe murder case were arrested on June 23, June 24, June 25, July 2, August 2 and August 11 this year, wanted accused Shaim Ahmed – on whom the NIA had declared a cash reward of Rs 2 lakh – was arrested on September 21. Further investigation is on, NIA said on Friday.
All the 11 accused named in the chargesheet – Mudhassir Ahmed, Shahrukh Kha, Abdul Taufeeque Shaikh, Mohammad Shoeb, Atib Rashid, Yusuf Khan, Irfan Khan, Abdul Arbaz, Mushifique Ahmad, Shaikh Shakil and Shahim Ahemad – are residents of Amravati.
NIA on Friday said its investigation revealed that a criminal conspiracy was hatched by the accused by constituting a terrorist gang to carry out the attack.
The accused, working with common intention, waylaid Kolhe in a public area at Ghantaghar, Amravati, and murdered him with an aim to strike terror among people, said an NIA spokesperson. They have all been chargesheeted under Sections 120B, 341, 302, 153-A, 201, 118, 505, 506 and 34 of IPC and Sections 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
On Friday, an NIA official told TOI that no link to any banned organisation, like the Popular Front of India or Islamic State, was established in the Kolhe murder case. It is suspected that the accused were self-radicalised, and chose to use violent means to “punish” what they perceived as “blasphemy”.
The Kolhe murder case was initially registered by the city kotwali police station, Amravati, and re-registered by NIA on July 2 this year. The Amravati police had intially suspected robbery as the motive. However, after the killing of tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur over social media posts in favour of Nupur, days after Kolhe was murdered in Amravati, there was a demand from BJP members in Maharashtra to also explore a likely revenge angle in the case.
After the Union home minister handed over the Kolhe murder case to NIA, the probe revealed a common thread of “revenge killing” and “pro-Nupur Sharma posts”.
While 10 accused in the Kolhe murder case were arrested on June 23, June 24, June 25, July 2, August 2 and August 11 this year, wanted accused Shaim Ahmed – on whom the NIA had declared a cash reward of Rs 2 lakh – was arrested on September 21. Further investigation is on, NIA said on Friday.
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