In a major breakthrough Bengaluru police have arrested Popular Front of India (PFI) leader Azim Sheriff who is alleged to be the kingpin in the murder of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) mandal pradhan Rudresh in Bengaluru on October 16.
According to police, the arrest was made on the basis of statements made by Mohamed Majidullah alias Mujib, Mohd Sadiq, Vasim Ahmed and Irfan Pasha who were arrested by the police in this connection. They claimed that they had carried out the crime on the direction of Azim Sheriff.
Rudresh was returning after attending a RSS function in the afternoon when two bike-borne miscreants hacked him to death in the busy Commercial Street. The incident had sent shockwaves in the city and it was strongly condemned by the BJP and RSS who gave a call for bandh the next day demanding arrest of the culprits immediately.
Police are investigating whether Azim Sheriff has connections with any terrorist organisation or the banned SIMI.
Meanwhile, addressing a Press conference in Bengaluru, PFI rubbished all allegations against its member and denied any connection with the murder. General secretary of PFI-Karnataka, Yasir Hasan, claimed that the allegations were politically motivated. He said, “PFI strongly condemns the irrelevant arrest of our district president. This is politically motivated.”
PFI accused the RSS and BJP of pressurising the police to arrest a PFI member in a congress run state. Office bearers of PFI maintained that they will take the legal route to counter allegations being leveled against its member as well as the organisation as a whole.