NIA recently took over the case from the local police.The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday carried out searches at 20 locations in Tamil Nadu in connection with the February 5 murder of Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) functionary Ramalingam in Thanjavur. Members of Popular Front of India (PFI) have been named as accused in the case.
The raids, sources said, were conducted at Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Trichy and Karaikal in connection with the case. NIA recently took over the case from the local police.“Searches were conducted in the houses of the arrested accused, absconding accused persons, and four offices of PFI,” an NIA statement said.
The agency recovered 16 mobile phones, 21 SIM cards, three laptops, nine hard disks, seven memory cards, 118 CDs/DVDs, one tab, seven diaries, two PFI banners and one DVR, it claimed.
“Besides these, one sword, one sharp-edged knife and cash to the tune of Rs 2 lakh were recovered from three different houses, and about 100 incriminating documents have also been seized,” NIA claimed.
According to NIA, Ramalingam, 41, was attacked while he was returning home in his mini van. “As part of a well hatched conspiracy, accused persons attacked him with lethal weapons… he succumbed to his injuries,” the agency said in a statement.
Thanjavur Police had arrested 10 people. “Six other accused are still absconding,” the NIA statement said.
