Rameshwaram Café blast conspiracy was brewed at Parappana Agrahara jail: NIA
National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials have uncovered a startling revelation regarding the conspiracy to orchestrate a blast at the Rameshwaram Café in Bengaluru, indicating that the plot was devised within the confines of Parappana Agrahara Central Prison. In connection with this revelation, Maaz Muneer, an individual previously implicated in the Shimoga trial blast and the Mangalore graffiti case, has been arrested.
Muneer, who was already incarcerated at the central jail, was apprehended from within the premises based on information provided by Muzammil Shareef, another suspect detained in Chikkamagaluru by the NIA. Following his arrest, Muneer was produced before the court via video conference and subsequently remanded to judicial custody again, according to sources within the NIA.
Following the blast at the Café, the NIA conducted raids at 18 locations across the country, including Parappana Agrahara, on March 5th. Muneer was taken into custody during these raids and interrogated for a period of eight days. However, due to his reluctance to divulge pertinent information during questioning, the NIA arrested Shareef in Chikkamagaluru based on circumstantial evidence. Shareef subsequently provided the NIA with comprehensive details regarding Muneer's involvement in the blast, leading to his re-arrest from the central jail.
ALSO READ: Karnataka Minister questions BJP's role in Rameshwaram Cafe blast after NIA detains party activist
Muneer, originally from Theerthahalli in Shimoga and an engineering graduate, was previously implicated in the Mangalore graffiti case reported in November 2020, for which he was later released on bail. However, he was again arrested in connection with the Shimoga trial blast case.
Notably, Muneer, along with Abdul Matheen Taha, was reportedly proficient in preparing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and had provided training to other suspects. Musavvir Hussain Shazib, identified as the Rameshwaram Café bomber, was among those allegedly trained by Muneer and Taha, as per sources familiar with the investigation.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
