NIA court lets off Tripura man in 2005 IISc terror attack case

Mohammed Habib, who was arrested in a shootout by militants at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in 2005, has been released by Bangalore's NIA special court.

Bengaluru: Tripura native Mohammed Habib, who was arrested in a case of shootout by militants at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in 2005, has been released by Bengaluru's NIA special court. The NIA Special Court Judge Dr Kasanappa Nayak ordered Mohammed Habib's release saying there is no relevant evidence against him.

Habib, the seventh accused in the 2005 IISc terror attack case, was arrested by the police on the statement of the first accused in the case, Shahabuddin Ahmed. He had told police in 2008 that during his visit to Bangladesh, he had met Habib at Agartala in Tripura. Habib was arrested by police in 2017 for his alleged role in aiding a terrorist attack at the IISC, Bengaluru.

Background of the case:

In 2005, there was a shootout at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru which led to the death of one person and injuries to several others. Initially, a case was registered in the Sadashivnagar police station. The investigation of the case was later handed over to the NIA. NIA officers registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Arms Act, Explosives Substances Act and Illegal Activity Control Act. Mohammed Habib, who was jailed four years ago in this case, had filed an application under Section 227 of the CrPC seeking discharge.