NIA arrests wanted accused in espionage case involving Sri Lankan

India, May 16 (The Week) - The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested an accused in an espionage case involving a Sri Lankan and a Pakistani national. The accused, Nuruddin alias Rafi, had absconded after jumping bail. 

Rafi was carrying a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh. He was arrested from the Rajiv Nagar area of Mysuru, Karnataka by the NIA team. 

A house search was also conducted after his arrest and several "incriminating materials", including mobile phones, laptop, pen drives and a drone, were recovered, said the agency in an official statement. 

When Rafi failed to appear before the NIA Special Court, Chennai, after being released on bail, a non-bailable warrant was issued against him. 

The court had declared him a proclaimed offender on May 7 this year.

The case is related to a terror conspiracy to carry out explosions at the US Consulate in Chennai and the Israel Embassy in Bengaluru in 2014. 

According to the NIA, the conspiracy was by Sri Lankan national Muhammed Sakir Hussain and Amir Zubair Siddique, a Pakistani national National employed at the Pakistan High Commission in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

NIA investigations have revealed that Nuruddin was involved in financing the anti-national espionage activities through high-quality fake Indian currency notes at the behest of the accused Pakistani national.

The trial against Nuruddin, which was stalled after he had absconded, will now resume, the probe agency added.