Eight terror suspects to plead guilty in Bengaluru prison plot case

Tue Jul 15 02:04:55 IST 2025

Bengaluru: Eight defendants in the Bengaluru prison terror conspiracy case, including T Naseer with alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) links, have expressed their intention to plead guilty before a special court hearing National Investigation Agency (NIA) cases.

The accused, currently in judicial custody at Bengaluru Central Prison, were arrested in 2023 for allegedly radicalising fellow inmates and promoting terror-related activities while in jail between 2017 and 2023.

Prime suspect T Naseer, who was an undertrial in connection with the 2008 Bengaluru serial blast case, led the alleged terror activities, police said. The case is currently being probed by NIA.

Other suspects who filed the applications are Syed Suhail, 24, Mohammed Umar, 30, Zahid Tabrez, 27, Syed Mudassir Pasha, 29, Mohammed Faisal, 29, Salman Khan, 29, and Chota Usman alias Vikram Kumar, 28. "All the eight suspects will be produced before the special court Wednesday. That day, the court will ask if they want to plead guilty," sources said.

Prison psychiatrist in judicial custody

Prison psychiatrist Dr Nagaraj, assistant sub-inspector of police (City Armed Reserve) Chand Pasha and Anees Fathima, mother of radicalisation case accused Junaid Ahmed, who is absconding, were produced before the special court Monday. They were remanded in judicial custody.

Last week, NIA arrested the three for allegedly aiding Naseer and others in different capacities. While Nagaraj is accused of supplying mobile phones and sim cards to Naseer and others, Pasha is charged with providing police security to Naseer and others in prison while the latter carried out terror activities. The third accused, Fathima, was arrested for allegedly providing monetary help and other assistance to the inmates.

"Fathima was rushed to hospital Sunday after claiming to have consumed toilet cleaner. Doctors washed her stomach and found no traces of the cleaner. However, there were some traces of the toilet cleaner in her mouth," sources said.