KASARAGOD: A 38-year old man accused in several cases of robbery and murder, was found murdered inside a car at Bantwal in Dakshin Kannada district, according to Karnataka police. The deceased has been identified as C M Muhthasim, alias Don Tasleem, a native of Chembarikka in Kasaragod. Karnataka police has nabbed four people in connection with the murder.

Tasleem, who used to refer to himself as “Don” on social media, has been arrested in several cases in the past and had also been questioned earlier by intelligence sleuths from Delhi.

Masquerading as a RAW agent in Dubai

After reaching Dubai at a young age in search of employment, Tasleem established contact with intelligence agencies after providing them tip-offs regarding underworld operations. As he grew in stature as an “informer”, he started claiming himself to be an agent of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India’s foreign intelligence agency.

He is an accused in about 12 cases registered in Bekal and Kasaragod police stations in Kerala. He had also been arrested in January 2019 for hatching plans to murder RSS leaders.

Gang rivalry behind the murder

Tasleem was arrested on September 16 and placed on remand in connection with a jewellery burglary case in which an Afghan national was also involved. He was kidnapped while returning to Kasaragod in a car after being released on bail from the Kalaburagi prison. Nelogi police started investigating the case following a complaint by Talseem’s brother. His body, with the throat slashed, was later found inside an Innova car in Bantwal.

Police suspect that a rival gang may have waylaid him soon after his release from prison and taken him to Bantwal. The enmity between the associates of a gang leader who had been murdered in Uppala earlier and his rivals is said to be the reason behind Tasleem’s murder. Tasleem used to supply guns and weapons to the Uppala gang, making him a potential target for the rivals. This gang is also said to have trapped him in the jewellery case.