A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team searched the house of M. Diwan Mujipeer at Vellankuzhi near Cheranmahadevi on Saturday. The operation came in the wake of intelligence gathered during searches conducted in Coimbatore in connection with an Islamic State-inspired module.
The team from Kochi that searched the house of Mr. Mujipeer, who had worked at the Dubai branch of a multinational company, reportedly seized three mobile phones, four SIM cards, a memory card and a certificate of appreciation given to him by the company.
Mr. Mujipeer was not present in his house during the search. He was working in a paint showroom in Puliyangudi, where another team conducted a search till 10 a.m.
A press release from the NIA said, “a number of incriminating documents” were seized. They will be submitted to a special court and subjected to forensic examination.
The team met Superintendent of Police P. Ve. Arunshakthikumar after completing the search. No one was arrested, but Mr. Mujipeer has been asked to appear before the NIA at Kochi.
Following the Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka that killed a few hundred people, the NIA arrested two persons from Coimbatore for their alleged links with the mastermind of the bombings Zahran Hashim. When the NIA conducted a search, they reportedly found that 16 persons from Tamil Nadu, “conspired and were preparing to wage a war against the Government of India by forming a terrorist outfit called Ansarullah”.
The accused, who have been arrested, and their accomplices were allegedly collecting funds in preparation of carrying out attacks in India with the intention of establishing an Islamic rule. The NIA claimed it suspected that Mr. Mujipeer was associated with the activities of Ansarullah.
In October 2016, the NIA arrested 31-year-old K. Subhani from Kadayanallur for his suspected links with Islamic State and detained broiler unit owner Ahmed Shalik of Tenkasi. The latter was arrested in connection with the murder of Thirubhuvanam Ramalingam .
