By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has received additional time from a Special NIA Court to continue its inquiry into an alleged cross-border murder conspiracy linked to the killing of a Bangladeshi political activist.
The probe is also examining the route allegedly used by the suspects to enter India through the Meghalaya border after the incident.
Vacation Judge Saurabh Pratap Singh approved the agency’s request, taking the overall investigation period to 135 days.
The inquiry centres on the December 2025 shooting death of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, a political activist from Dhaka.
Three accused, Rahul alias Faisal Karim Masud, Alamgir Hossain and Philip Sangma, were sent to judicial custody for three days by Vacation Judge Meenu Kaushik on June 19.
Investigators have identified Philip Sangma as a Bangladeshi citizen. The agency is also looking into possible local assistance and other links that may have helped the accused move across border areas.
In its plea seeking more time, the NIA informed the court that fresh evidence had become available on June 8 following a Supreme Court order. It stated that the material, along with documents recently obtained from the West Bengal Police’s Special Task Force, still requires examination and verification.
The latest development comes around three months after the accused were arrested in March 2026.
According to the investigation, the suspects crossed into India through Meghalaya shortly after the killing in Dhaka.
They were later intercepted in Bongaon, West Bengal, while allegedly trying to return to Bangladesh.
Sharif Osman Bin Hadi played a prominent role during Bangladesh’s July 2024 uprising. His death was followed by unrest in several parts of the country.
A separate chargesheet filed in Bangladesh has already named 17 suspects. The NIA, however, is investigating the route allegedly used by the accused after the killing and the assistance they may have received while moving through the Meghalaya border region.