NIA team arrives in Odisha; likely to take SIM box accused Raju Mandal on remand

By Dr Gourang Charan Rout

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 21: A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrived in Odisha to intensify the probe into the seizure of suspicious SIM boxes in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.

On their arrival, the team will question Raju Mandal, the Indian link of Bangladeshi national Asadur Jaman, who operated the SIM boxes in Odisha and Jharkhand.

Raju is currently in Jharkhand as he was taken by Odisha’s Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissionerate Police to bust a third SIM box racket in Ranchi.

NIA is most likely to take Raju Mandal on a five-day remand for interrogation into his terror link and other aspects including cyber fraud.

The Odisha police had earlier sought the assistance of NIA and Interpol to probe the link of any terrorist activities by Raju and Asadur.

Meanwhile, reports suggested that a fourth SIM box has allegedly been set up in West Bengal.

As per reports, the SIM boxes were used to make international calls to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkey, and other countries. So, the police suspects the two to have terrorist links. The investigation will be further intensified by NIA, reports said.

Sources said the NIA has begun its primary investigation in Odisha by visiting places in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack where Raju Mandal operated the SIM boxes.

The NIA is looking into all aspects and whether Raju was into terrorist activities, was he sharing India’s confidential information with terrorists in other countries.