SIT Probing 13 Cases Against Nayeem, Arrested 19 So Far

Hyderabad: Special Investigation Team (SIT), which has been set up for probing the cases against slain gangster Nayeem, has so far arrested 19 persons. The arrested included Nayeem’s wife Sadita Begum.

SIT has also taken possession of 599 property documents from several places as part of the search operation. Over a dozen cases have been booked against slain Nayeem and his gang members, according to Nagi Reddy, who’s heading the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

Nagi Reddy said that SIT has so far seized 2 Kg of gold, 599 property documents and cash amounting to Rs.2.88 Cr from the dens of Nayeem. These seizures were made from various places across the state.

He said: “We have submitted all these seizures to the court. Further investigation is going on.” The Chief of SIT also disclosed that nine minor children, who were found in Nayeem’s house, have been sent to Bala Sadan in Mahbubnagar town.

SIT has so far arrested 19 suspects in connection with gangster Nayeem including his wife Sadita Begum. The SIT has appealed to all the victims of Nayeem to consult SIT office or any nearby police station freely and lodge complaints. “If you lodge complaint anywhere in the state, it will be transferred to SIT,” he clarified. Police are keen on Nayeem’s links with other states. Nagi Reddy said the SIT would investigate the links if DGP asks it to do so.

Police clueless about source of weapons

The police officials have been seizing weapons as the search operations are continuing at several places. The police officials were surprised to see modern weapons at Nayeem’s houses and with his associates. So far the police officials have seized 19 firearms, including 2 AK 47 assault rifles and a stengun from Nayeem’s houses and his close associates.

Majority of weapons were made in Germany, Belgium and Russia. Police are further investigating on how Nayeem had acquired such foreign-made weapons. The list of weapons police seized includes AK-47, 9mm pistols, tapanchas, bullets, gelatin sticks, detonators, bullet-proof jackets, axes, knives, etc.

Police officials are investigating from the angle of Maoists. Using his Maoist links, ex-Naxalite Nayeem might have sourced weapons from extremists, said a senior police official. Another factor was that Nayeem was trained in weapon using and terrorist activities in Pakistan. Nayeem also involved in weapon smuggling with Hizb-ul-Mujahideen leader Mujeeb Ahmed. These three factors were prime reasons behind Nayeem’s acquiring modern weapons.

While one AK 47 was recovered from the place where Nayeem was killed in an exchange of fire with the police on Monday on the Shadnagar outskirts, another AK 47 was recovered from a house close by. All those arrested in connection with Nayeem said during the interrogation that they were not aware of weapons suppliers. “’Bhai’ used to take care of them,’ that’s what the common answer police got.

Police officials are investigating from the angle of Maoists. Using his Maoist links, ex-Naxalite Nayeem might have sourced weapons from extremists, said a senior police official. Another factor was that Nayeem was trained in weapon using and terrorist activities in Pakistan. Nayeem also involved in weapon smuggling with Hizb-ul-Mujahideen leader Mujeeb Ahmed. These three factors were prime reasons behind Nayeem’s acquiring modern weapons.