NIA chargesheets 4 ex-PFI cadres for harbouring Ramalingam murder accused
Synopsis
Six years after the 2019 murder of Ramalingam in Thirubhuvanam, the NIA has now chargesheeted four more ex-PFI cadres — not for the killing itself, but for sheltering the accused for nearly six years. The case illustrates how the agency is methodically targeting the alleged support network around the banned outfit, layer by layer.
Key Takeaways
The NIA filed a chargesheet on 6 June before a Special Court at Poonamallee, Chennai against four ex- PFI cadres.
Mohideen , Mohamed Imran , Thameem Ansari , and Asmath — allegedly sheltered two proclaimed offenders for nearly six years .
Ramalingam was killed on 5 February 2019 in Thirubhuvanam , Tamil Nadu, allegedly by PFI members.
The NIA had earlier chargesheeted 18 accused and arrested four of six absconding proclaimed offenders in the case.
In a separate action, former TMC legislator Saokat Molla was remanded to 14 days NIA custody over the Bhangar bomb blast in West Bengal; next hearing on 19 June .
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday, 6 June filed a chargesheet before a Special Court at Poonamallee, Chennai, against four former cadres of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) for knowingly sheltering proclaimed offenders linked to the Ramalingam murder case. The development marks a fresh legal escalation in a case that has been under NIA investigation since 2019.
The Four Accused
The chargesheet names K. Mohideen, Mohamed Imran, Thameem Ansari, and Asmath as the accused. According to the NIA, the four individuals sheltered two proclaimed offenders — Mohamed Burhanudeen and Mohamed Nabil Hassan — for nearly six years, despite being fully aware of the duo's role in the fatal attack on Ramalingam.
They have been charged under Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 249 BNS read with Section 19 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act [UA(P) Act], according to the NIA statement.
The Ramalingam Murder: What Happened
According to the NIA, Ramalingam was fatally attacked on 5 February 2019 by PFI members near Pakku Vinayakam Thoppu in Thirubhuvanam, Tamil Nadu. The agency states he was killed after he attempted to stop the accused from carrying out what it described as forcible religious conversions in the area. The NIA has characterised the killing as part of a larger conspiracy aimed at creating communal disharmony and terror.
Prior Chargesheets and Arrests
This is not the first chargesheet in the case. The NIA had previously chargesheeted 18 accused, including six absconding proclaimed offenders, under case number RC-06/2019/NIA/DLI. Of those six, four were subsequently arrested by the agency. Two additional harbourers — Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Imthathulla — were also chargesheeted in May 2025 and February 2026, respectively, after being apprehended. The latest chargesheet against the four accused continues that pattern of systematically pursuing those who aided the alleged perpetrators.
Separate NIA Action in West Bengal
In a separate development on the same day, former All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator Saokat Molla was remanded to 14 days of NIA custody by a special court in Kolkata, in connection with a bomb blast at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, which occurred before the recently concluded Assembly elections. He was arrested on Friday night, and investigators recovered a mobile phone and a pen drive from his possession. The court also approved forensic examination of both devices. Molla is next scheduled to appear before the NIA court on 19 June.
The NIA had previously arrested three others in the Bhangar blast case — two of whom are in judicial custody and one still in NIA custody. The court granted forensic examination of electronic devices recovered from those three individuals as well.
What Comes Next
With the chargesheet now filed, the Poonamallee Special Court is expected to take up the matter for further proceedings. The NIA's continued pursuit of harbourers — years after the original murder — signals a sustained effort to dismantle the broader alleged support network around the banned PFI in Tamil Nadu.
Point of View
But for what it signals: the agency is now systematically pursuing the alleged support infrastructure around the banned PFI, not just the direct perpetrators. Charging harbourers under the UA(P) Act years after the original crime raises the legal stakes considerably — it treats sheltering a fugitive as an act of terror facilitation, not merely obstruction of justice. What the mainstream coverage often misses is that this is the third wave of chargesheets in a single case, suggesting the NIA believes the network runs deeper than the original 18 accused. Whether the courts ultimately sustain these charges will test the boundaries of conspiracy liability under India's counter-terror law.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Ramalingam and how was he killed?
Ramalingam was killed on 5 February 2019 near Pakku Vinayakam Thoppu in Thirubhuvanam, Tamil Nadu, allegedly by members of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI). According to the NIA, he was attacked after he tried to stop the accused from carrying out what the agency describes as forcible religious conversions in the area.
What charges have been filed against the four ex-PFI cadres?
The four accused — K. Mohideen, Mohamed Imran, Thameem Ansari, and Asmath — have been charged under Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 249 BNS read with Section 19 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, for knowingly sheltering proclaimed offenders linked to the murder.
How many people has the NIA chargesheeted in the Ramalingam case so far?
Including the latest four, the NIA has now chargesheeted at least 24 individuals in the case. Earlier chargesheets covered 18 accused (including six absconding proclaimed offenders) and two additional harbourers — Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Imthathulla — chargesheeted in May 2025 and February 2026 respectively.
Who is Saokat Molla and why was he arrested by the NIA?
Saokat Molla is a former All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) legislator who was arrested by the NIA in connection with a bomb blast at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, which occurred before the recently concluded Assembly elections. He was remanded to 14 days of NIA custody on 6 June and is next due before the NIA court on 19 June.
What is the Popular Front of India (PFI) and why is it banned?
The Popular Front of India (PFI) is an organisation banned by the Indian government under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Authorities have accused it of links to extremist activities and communal violence; the NIA has characterised the Ramalingam murder as part of a PFI-driven conspiracy to create communal disharmony and terror.
