Daijiworld Media Network - Kochi

Kochi, Jun 12: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a supplementary chargesheet against Rafeek M S in connection with the murder of RSS worker Sreenivasan in Kerala’s Palakkad district. This brings the total number of individuals formally charged in the case to 64.

Rafeek, described as an active member of the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI), has been accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The NIA stated that he conspired with others in the murder plot, sheltered a key accused—Muhammad Shefeek—even after the ban on PFI, and attempted to destroy crucial evidence.

Investigators revealed that Rafeek had undergone arms and physical training at a PFI facility in Periyar Valley Campus, Aluva, indicating his preparation for violent acts in support of the organisation's alleged extremist goals.

The murder of Sreenivasan on April 16, 2022, occurred just one day after the killing of PFI leader Subair, and is believed by authorities to be part of a retaliatory cycle of violence. Sreenivasan was attacked in his shop by six men riding three motorcycles, in what the NIA has called a daylight terror act motivated by PFI’s broader goal of establishing Islamic rule in India by 2047.

To date, 71 individuals have been identified in the case, with eight still at large. The investigation remains active, with continued efforts to apprehend those absconding.

Adding to the gravity of the case, the NIA officer leading the probe reported receiving death threats in November 2022. The caller allegedly warned him to "keep your coffin ready" due to the pressure the investigation was placing on unnamed individuals.

Authorities continue to treat the matter with utmost seriousness, citing the threats and the scale of the operation as indicators of the case’s national security implications.