The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has claimed that Alam Jeb Afridi alias Javed Rafeeq (30) was the prime accused in the Church street blast case of 2014. NIA claimed to have cracked the case. Javed Rafeeq was recently held by Telangana ATS and NIA. He reportedly confessed to the crime.
Afridi was the suspect who stabbed a Telangana ATS constable Srinivasa, while he was resisting arrest at Doddanagamangala, Parappana Agrahara. NIA sources claimed that the Telangana ATS and NIA arrested him in link with the Ahmedabad 2008 blasts, whereas the suspect has confessed to the Church Street blast in custody. It was claimed by the agency that the target was an Israeli delegation that was supposed to make a visit to Coconut Grove restaurant, on that day.
NIA sleuths claimed that Afridi is a Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) cadre. He was said to be an accused in a case for organizing SIMI meetings in Waghamon, Kerala. The suspect was declared as an absconder with a Rs. 3 lakh bounty on his head since five years now. According to them he was close to top SIMI leaders.
It was confirmed by N.S. Megharik, the City Police Commissioner, that NIA has sought logistic support for its probe in Afridi's case.
-Sumana
