Bengaluru cafe blast case: NIA releases new photos of suspect & accomplice; announces INR 10L reward

BENGALURU — The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday released new photographs of the man suspected of carrying out an IED blast at the Rameshwaram Cafe here on March 1, an official said.

The photographs of the suspect’s accomplice was also released, the official said, adding a reward of Rs 10 lakh for clues on each of them was also announced by the NIA.

The suspected bomber has been identified as Mussavir Hussain Shazib a.k.a. Shazeb.

His other aliases are Mohammand Junai Hussain and Mohammed Juned Sayed.

He is 30-year-old, around 6 feet 2 inches tall, got black and straight hair, the NIA said.

The NIA took over the case on March 3 and identified the main accused, Mussavir, who had carried out the blast.

It had also identified another conspirator, Abdul Matheen Taahaa, who is also wanted by the agency in other cases. Both are on the run, the NIA said.

“Mussavir Hussain Shazib has been using the forged driving license in the name of Mohammed Juned Sayed or other similar forged ID documents to conceal his identity. His preferred dresses are jeans, t-shirt and wears black smart watch, often wears a mask, wig and fake beard,” the NIA said.

The NIA mentioned that the suspect’s preferred places of stay include men’s or boy’s hostel, PG, sharing accommodation and low budget hotels and lodges.

His accomplice is identified as Abdul Matheen Ahmed Taahaa a.k.a. Abdul Matheen Taha a.k.a. Matheen a.k.a. Taha a.k.a. Vignesh. D a.k.a. Sumit.

The accused has a wheatish complexion and a medium-built body. He is approximately 5 feet 5 inches.

He is bald from front and light hair on back and sides. He wears a cap, t-shirt, jeans, hoodies, NIA stated.

The accused has been using Hindu identity documents, forged Aadhaar in the name of Vignesh or other similar forged ID documents to conceal identity.

Earlier, the NIA had announced the arrest of Muzamil Shareef, a key conspirator in the cafe blast case.

“He was picked up and placed in custody as a co-conspirator after NIA teams cracked down at 18 locations, including 12 in Karnataka, 5 in Tamil Nadu and one in Uttar Pradesh,” an official said.

NIA investigations have revealed that Muzammil Shareef extended logistic support to the other two identified accused in the case, involving in an IED explosion in the cafe located at ITPL Road, Brookfield in Bengaluru on March 1.

Several staff members were injured, some of them grievously, in the blast, which caused extensive damage to the property.