Kerala Police probe Norway-based Wayanad native’s possible connection to Lebanon pager blasts

Wayanad police in Kerala investigate Rinson Jose's alleged involvement in Lebanon pager blasts, while his family remains unaware of his activities.

The Wayanad Special Branch (SB) police in Kerala have initiated inquiries into Rinson Jose, a 37-year-old who left Wayanad for Norway a decade ago, following reports of his alleged involvement in the recent pager blasts that shook Lebanon.

Deputy Superintendent of Police, Special Branch, Wayanad, P.L. Shyju, told The Hindu that officials visited Mr. Jose’s family home at Mananthavady in Wayanad to collect information from his parents. They reported being unaware of the situation, although they have been unable to reach him by phone since the incident.

Given that Mr. Jose is a foreign national, no legal action is being pursued against him, nor is he currently a target of any investigations in India, Mr. Shyju added.

Reports indicate that Jose has been active within the Malayali community in Norway, where he previously operated a job consultancy.

His LinkedIn profile reveals that he has been employed with DN Media Group since March 2022 and it describes him as an entrepreneur managing NortaLink, a company focussed on IT services, consulting, procurement, and recruiting. Norta Global Limited is reportedly viewed as a shell company associated with NortaLink.

Friends of Mr. Jose noted that he holds an MBA from Pondicherry University and a Master’s in International Social Welfare and Health Policy from Oslo Metropolitan University. He has also served as a teacher with the Poor Servants of Divine Providence (PDSP). However, his family remains oblivious to the specifics of his business ventures.

On Friday (September 20, 2024), the police conducted ground checks to assess the financial situation of Mr. Jose’s family and to gather further details regarding their circumstances.