NIA Digs Deep into Financial web behind Suhas Shetty murder; Overseas links under scanner

Mangaluru, June 29, 2025: The National Investigation Agency (NIA), now leading the probe into the brutal murder of Hindu activist Suhas Shetty on May 1 near Kinnipadavu Junction in Bajpe, has shifted its focus to the financial framework that allegedly enabled the crime. After taking over the case from the Mangaluru CCB Police, the NIA has secured custody of eight key suspects until July 1 and is conducting rigorous interrogations. Investigators have collected bank account details of all 12 accused, along with their family members, in an effort to trace money transfers that may have funded the plot.

Preliminary findings suggest that local sources initially financed the crime, but credible leads now point toward potential foreign funding. The alleged ₹5 lakh provided by Adil, brother of Surathkal murder victim Fazil, was earlier believed to be linked, but officials now suspect a more complex and separate financial trail. The NIA has uncovered suspected links between some of the accused and banned outfit Popular Front of India (PFI), with further connections to ex-PFI members residing abroad. A special team led by DSP Pavan Kumar is actively probing these angles, with senior officials DIG Rahul and SP Shivakumar closely monitoring progress as the investigation intensifies on both domestic and international fronts.