National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials on Sunday conducted field investigations at various places in Coimbatore after taking into custody five of the accused persons arrested in the October 23 car blast case. A day before Deepavali, a car exploded in front of the Sangameswarar temple at Kottaimedu. The suspected mastermind, Jameesha Mubin, 29, died in the blast.
The city police arrested six persons — Muhammad Thalha, 25; Muhammad Azharudheen, 23; Muhammad Riyas, 27; Firoz Ismail, 27; his brother Muhammad Nawaz Ismail, 25; and Afsar Khan, 28 — for their alleged involvement in the blast. The probe was later transferred to the NIA.
After the initial investigation, the NIA arrested three more persons — Mohammed Thoufeek, 25; Umar Faaruq, 39; and Ferose Khan, 28 — for having alleged links to the incident. All of them were lodged at Puzhal Central Prison.
The NIA Special Court at Poonamallee in Chennai granted the NIA a nine-day custody of Muhammad Azharudheen, Afsar Khan, Firoz Ismail, Umar Faaruq, and Ferose Khan for investigation. After interrogations for five days in Chennai, the officials took them to Coimbatore and conducted field investigations at Ukkadam, G.M. Nagar, Al-Amin Colony, Pullukadu and Kottaimedu.
The officials are expected to conduct more field investigations before the period of custody expired. The accused will be produced in the court on December 29.
