Maharashtra ATS get custody of IM operatives' accused in 13/7 blasts

March 31, 2015 08:18 pm | Updated 08:20 pm IST - MUMBAI

A court remanded two alleged Indian Mujahideen (IM) operatives who supplied explosives for the 2011 triple blasts in Mumbai to 14 days’ police custody.  

The duo - Syed Ismail Afaque and Sadddam Hussein - was formally arrested on Monday in connection with the 13/7 blasts in Dadar, Opera House and Zaveri Bazaar which left 27 dead and nearly thrice as many injured.

This, after the Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS) probing the case obtained the transfer custody from Bangalore police, who had arrested them at their native Bhatkal this January.

They would now be quizzed by the ATS which has so far held a dozen accused in the 2011 case.

Additional Director General of Police (ATS) Himanshu Roy said the police would now question the two about the explosives and detonators they are alleged to have supplied to their co-accused Nadeem Sheikh, who brought them to Mumbai.

Nadeem has already been arrested and questioned about his role. Mr. Roy added that the two would be asked about with the purported revelations made by Nadeem and several others who are already in the police net.  

Like Afaque and Hussein, several arrested 13/7 blast accused have multiple terror cases against them and have been quizzed by other investigating agencies as well. This includes Indian Mujahideen founder Yasin Bhatkal who is the alleged mastermind behind the 2011 blasts in Mumbai and Pune’s German Bakery blast the subsequent year.  

Mr. Roy said the police sought a longer custody for the duo as they could seek the custody of Bhatkal as well as his key aide Asadullah Akhtar alias Haddi yet again and confronted with the explosive suppliers.

Bhatkal and Haddi were arrested by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) in 2013 and the former is reportedly in a Hyderabad Jail.

Maharashtra ATS has also been trying for the custody of Zia Ur Rehman alias Waqas and Tehseen Akhtar Sheikh alias Monu but no update was available on the status of the remand application.

Afaque and Hussein will now be produced before the court on April 13. 

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