Bengaluru terror attack case convict Afsar Pasha’s background reveals a troubling history of international connections with extremist groups. Born in Bengaluru, he lived in Saudi Arabia from 1998 to 2000 before travelling to Bangladesh. It was in Bangladesh he allegedly underwent training from terrorist elements. Coincidentally, during Pasha’s time in Bangladesh, two significant terrorist attacks occurred - a bomb blast in Dhaka and a terrorist attack in Bengaluru. Investigative agencies are suspecting potential connections between Pasha and these violent incidents. Pasha alias Bashiruddin Noor Mohammad (45), a resident of Chikkaballapur, Karnataka, was taken into custody for alleged involvement in terrorist activities and receiving training in Bangladesh later. He was connected with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

 

Meanwhile, the Dhantoli police produced Pasha in the special NIA court, regarding the second UAPA case registered at the police station, on Wednesday, and obtained his police custody till July 24. The police would interrogate him to determine the purpose of his visits to the city. Pasha was brought to Nagpur from Belagavi (Karnataka) jail by the Dhantoli police in connection with threatening phone calls to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. According to police, Jayesh Pujari alias Kantha who had made the threat calls to Gadkari’s office after colluding and planning with Pasha.

It may be mentioned that Pujari had made a threat call to Gadkari’s public relations office on January 14, demanding Rs 100 crore and claiming to be a member of the Dawood Ibrahim gang. At that time, he was lodged in the Belagavi jail. Pasha made another call on March 21, threatening to harm Gadkari if Rs 10 crore were not paid to him. Pujari was arrested and brought to Nagpur on March 28 this year from a jail in Belagavi, and two cases were registered under the provision of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act at Dhantoli police station.