The National Investigation Agency may take over the investigation into the case of a terror module that was busted by the Rajasthan Police. The case involved the radical outfit Al Sufa, a group in Ratlam. The name of Al Sufa had come up during the investigation into the murder of a Hindu leader in Madhya Pradesh.
The module was busted by the Rajasthan ATS on March 31 and seven persons were arrested. The accused were booked under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
After the Rajasthan Police approached the NIA to look into the terror links of this module, the Central agency found certain links with accused already under its scanner. Now, the NIA is likely to ask the MHA to proceed with the case under the anti-terror law, sources said.
Soon after their arrest, Central agencies had started looking at the possible linkages of this module with a big terrorist outfit that may be planning huge strikes in different parts of the country.
Ratlam had come on the radar of intelligence agencies after the Intelligence Bureau busted an ISIS module in 2015 for plotting to target BJP and RSS leaders. The MHA had then asked the state government to hand over the case to the NIA after the probe revealed involvement of some Indian Mujahideen leaders, based in Karachi, who were using the internet to radicalise youth from Rajasthan.
The new case is expected to give more leads to the NIA about the links of the arrested persons with a major terrorist outfit and inter-state linkages. The counter-terror agencies had recovered 6kg explosive material, three watches with Duracell batteries, three containers of wire, one plastic box containing six bulbs, wire and one Bolero car during the operation.
