NIA court in Kochi has granted five days' custodial interrogation of Shahul Hameed, the 50th accused in the RSS worker Sreenivasan murder case, after he was arrested at Delhi airport following over three years on the run.
Arrest and Remand
According to the order of the Special Court for NIA Cases, Ernakulam, Shahul Hameed, a native of Palakkad district, was arrested at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, at 4.15 am on November 27, 2025, on the basis of a Look Out Circular.
He was produced before the NIA court and, on December 1, 2025, the judge remanded him to NIA custody from 12.30 pm that day till 5 pm on December 5, 2025, for custodial interrogation.
Allegations Against Shahul Hameed
The NIA has alleged before the court that Shahul Hameed is an active member of the banned outfit Popular Front of India and part of a larger conspiracy to advance the organisation's "India 2047" agenda of establishing Islamic rule in the country.
He is accused of being part of a terrorist gang, harbouring the 18th accused after the murder of RSS worker Sreenivasan, and engaging in activities prejudicial to communal harmony and public tranquillity in Kerala, the document accessed by NDTV revealed.
Digital Trail and Hit Lists
Investigators told the court that Shahul Hameed had used various digital devices and social media platforms for secret communication before, during and after the crime while remaining abroad as an absconder for more than three years.
Digital devices seized from him at the time of arrest was produced before the court for forwarding to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Hyderabad for detailed analysis, and any incriminating data extracted is to be confronted with him during interrogation.
Wider Network Under Probe
The case records placed before the court state that during the probe, officers seized multiple documents, including "hit lists", lists of physical education trainers and lists of PFI "reporters", which the agency plans to confront Shahul Hameed with in custody.
The NIA has also informed the court that he is allegedly involved in other criminal cases registered in Kerala and that his links with various suspects, including absconding accused, need to be mapped as part of ongoing further investigation.
Rejecting the defence argument that police custody was unnecessary, the court ordered that custodial interrogation is essential to unearth Shahul Hameed's full role and that of other suspects in the conspiracy.
RSS worker Sreenivasan was murdered on April 16, 2022 at Melamuri in Palakkad inside his bike repair workshop by now banned PFI outfit. The NIA initial chargesheet had over 70 accused. The case was substantial as it gave the Union government enough evidence on the nature of PFI which lead to its ban.
During the course of investigation, NIA unearthed the network of PFI workers who were running underground arms training and it revealed various roles its members played to plot terror and create hit list of people to be attacked.
