Coimbatore : Sleuths of National Investigation Agency (NIA) today carried out searches in the houses of four accused in the murder of Hindu Munnani spokesperson, C Sasikumar some 18 months ago in the city.

NIA officials, who have taken over the investigation from CBCID of the State police, carried out searches in the houses of Saddam Hussain, Abu Thahir, Subair and Mubarak, who were named as accused in the murder on September 22. 2016, when Sasikumar was returning home at 10.30 PM.

They have recovered three mobile phones from a house and a motorcycle from another and investigating whether the four had any connection with terrorist organisations, outfits, police said.

Meanwhile, National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations has termed the handing over the case to NIA as “politically motivated”.

To prove his point, the Confederation State president, B P Mohan, said that NIA has registered the FIR in connection with the case at Delhi, investigation officer appointed from Hyderabad and the case was in a Special Court in Poonamalee, even though the incident happened in Coimbatore.

Of late, the case was turning against the youth belonging to Minority Muslim community, reportedly due to pressure from higher authorities and in view of this the investigation by NIA should be stopped, Mohan said.