NIA court declares absconding Delhi blast accused Muzaffar Rather 'proclaimed offender'
Srinagar (PTI): An NIA court here declared Dr Muzaffar Ahmad Rather, an accused in the white collar terror module busted by Srinagar police in October that was behind the November 10 car blast near Delhi's Red Fort, a proclaimed offender under Section 84 of the BNSS.
The proclamation notice, issued by a special judge designated under the NIA Act last week, was pasted on the house of Rather at Qazigund on Saturday, officials said.
The court has directed Rather to be present before it on January 28, 2026, they said.
“Proclamation is hereby made that Dr Muzaffar Ahmad Rather is required to appear before this court on 28.01.2026 at 10 am sharp to answer the complaint,” the court order read.
Rather, whose brother Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather was arrested in Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh earlier, is believed to be in Afghanistan.
The entire module was busted after Srinagar police began an investigation into the pasting of posters that threatened police and security forces on walls in Bunpora, Nowgam, in mid-October.
The trail led the investigators to the Al Falah University in Faridabad, Haryana, where Dr Muzzafar Ganaie and Dr Shaheen Sayeed were arrested, and 2,900 kg of explosive material was seized in November.
Investigators believe a core trio of doctors -- Dr Ganaie, Dr Umar Nabi (the driver of the explosives-laden car that blew up near the Red Fort, killing 15), and Muzzaffar Rather -- were running the module.
Section 84 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) deals with the procedure for declaring a person a 'proclaimed offender' when he/she absconds to avoid a warrant, requiring public proclamation through local reading, posting on their home/village, affixing to the court, and potential newspaper publication.
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Minister Parameshwara says remarks on properties linked to drug peddlers 'misunderstood'
Tumakuru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday said his recent remarks on the demolition of properties linked to those involved in narcotics trade were "misunderstood and misinterpreted".
His clarification follows remarks made two days ago on the government's uncompromising crackdown on the drug menace, including action against properties linked to foreign nationals allegedly involved in drug trafficking.
"It is unfortunate. It is taken in the wrong sense. I didn't mean that tomorrow itself I am going to send bulldozers and demolish the houses. That was not my intention. It was wrongly taken," he told reporters here.
Responding to Congress MLC K Abdul Jabbar's question in the legislative council on the growing drug menace in Bengaluru, Davangere and coastal districts, the minister on Thursday detailed the extensive enforcement measures initiated since the Congress government assumed office.
Pointing to the involvement of some foreign nationals, the minister had said, "Many foreign students from African countries have come to Karnataka. They are into the drug business. We catch them and register cases against them, but they want the case to be registered because once the case is registered, we cannot deport them."
"We have gone to the extent of demolishing the rented building where they stay," he had said.
