NIA sleuths probing into terror case quiz former Minister Kimmane Rathnakar

Bengaluru: Sleuths of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), probing into the Shivamogga Islamic State conspiracy case, on Wednesday questioned former Minister Kimmane Rathnakar pertaining to the Congress office building at Thirthahalli in Shivamogga district that was taken on rent.
Rathnakar, a former Thirthahalli MLA, said the sleuths reached the Congress office and asked him how the party took the building on rent from its owner Hashim. “They (NIA) asked me when I took the (Congress) office building on rent. I told them that we took it on rent in 2015 by paying Rs 10 lakh to Hashim. We paid Rs 1,000 a month till December,” the Congress leader said in a video message.“We also told them that the day he (Hashim) refunds Rs 10 lakh, the building will be vacated. Our relation with Hashim is just of an owner and a tenant. Party is not connected with him,” Ratnakar said. He charged the BJP with spreading false information on NIA’s visit to Congress office.
Six accused had been arrested in the case, which is closely linked to Mohammed Shariq, recently arrested after a cooker bomb he was carrying exploded in an autorickshaw in Mangaluru. Shariq hails from Thirthahalli.
The Shivamogga terror module had allegedly carried out a trial blast on the banks of Tunga river last year. The module was busted after a mob went on a rampage on August 15 last in protest against some Hindu right wing members placing a portrait of Hindutva ideologue Savarkar at a public space in Shivamogga city, and stabbed a man.After the arrest, they were questioned and their mobile phones checked. Then, it was found that they were inspired by the IS and wanted to reportedly carry out large- scale destruction in Karnataka and other parts of the country, NIA sources said.