The National Investigation Agency, which has been entrusted with Patna blast cases probe, is yet to begin its work as the Bihar police are still in the process of handing over documents pertaining to investigation conducted so far.
“The NIA team presently pursuing the leads in the case has been instructed to formally take over the probe only when the Bihar police hand over all related papers. However, we have re-registered the case,” said a senior NIA officer. The case files to be transferred to NIA include the arrest and seizure memos.
The agency has registered the case under relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activity Prevention Act, the Indian Penal Code and the Explosives Act. In due course, the NIA will take custody of those persons arrested by the Bihar police so far.
It is learnt that the Bihar police have received a communication regarding transfer of the case to the NIA and the process for a formal handover is under way.
The police have named six persons for their alleged involvement in the conspiracy and execution of the terror strike.
However, an Indian Mujahideen suspect named Ojair Ahmad (40) has also been held by a joint team of the NIA and the Jharkhand Police from his house at Doranda, here. The NIA has also obtained his transit remand from a Ranchi court for further probe.
The preliminary probe has indicated that the accused, said to be a diploma holder in electrical engineering, worked as a fund-raiser for the module that was involved in the serial explosions.
The agency will also probe the suspected involvement of the same module, or outfit, in other cases of terror strikes, mainly the Bodh Gaya blasts in July, given that the timer devices used in the explosions were similar. “However, at this stage we cannot draw a definite conclusion in this regard,” said the NIA officer.
