The Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Maharashtra police on Wednesday submitted the draft charges against Sayed Zabuiddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal to the special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court in Mumbai in the Aurangabad arms haul case.
The charges framed included several sections under the MCOCA, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the Explosives Act, the Explosive Substances Act and the Indian Penal Code. The ATS told the court that Ansari, who is the alleged LeT operative and handler of the 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai, had been involved in terror activities since 1996.
“During the period from 1996 to May 2006, both within and outside India, [he] conspired to do... illegal acts,” said the draft. Though Ansari was to be brought to Mumbai in front of the court, the prosecution informed Judge S.M. Modak, due to preparations for the Republic Day in Delhi, there were no policemen to escort him. The draft was later faxed to him in the Tihar Jail in Delhi. He was produced in the court through video conference.
Counsel Ejaz Naqvi said Ansari did not want to come to Mumbai as he was scared that he might be killed in prison like the German Bakery blast accused Qatil Siddiqui, or executed like Ajmal Kasab.
The court is likely to fix the charges on Ansari on January 18.
On May 8, 2006, a Maharashtra ATS team chased a Tata Sumo and an Indica car on Chandwad-Manmad highway near Aurangabad, arrested three terror suspects and seized 30 kg of RDX, 10 AK- 47 assault rifles and 3,200 bullets. The Indica was allegedly driven by Ansari who managed to give police the slip. He later escaped to Bangladesh and then to Pakistan. After the terror attacks on Mumbai, he was allegedly asked to move to Saudi Arabia on Pakistani passport. Following the hard rounds of negotiations with the Saudi Arabia, he was deported to India in June 2012.
