A National Investigation Agency team probing the blasts triggered purportedly by the “Jharkhand module” of banned outfit Indian Mujahideen was in for a shock when locals attacked them in the outskirts of Ranchi on Tuesday, accusing the agency of framing innocents.
According to NIA officials, the incident took place on Tuesday evening when in connection with the investigations, a team was in Sithio village along with terror suspect Mohammad Tehseen Akhtar alias Monu. He was arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell in March.
Accused Imtiyaz Ansari, who was the first to be arrested in connection with the Patna blasts last October, belongs to the same village. “Four of the suspects wanted in the case were also from that village,” said an official.
Soon after the team reached the village, some locals confronted the officials accusing them of having arrested Imtiyaz and others on false charges. “They also pelted stones at the officials. However, the situation was soon brought under control and the team managed to complete its work there,” he added.
Imtiyaz, allegedly part of the module that carried out blasts in Bodh Gaya and Patna, was the first to be arrested in the Patna case. On his purported disclosures, the NIA made seven other arrests.
According to the NIA charge sheet filed last month in the Patna case, “investigations revealed that the current accused (Imtiyaz) along with others had planted the bombs at the Patna railway station and in the Hoonkar Rally of Narendra Modi. Imtiyaz was associated with SIMI….cash rewards ranging from Rs.5-10 lakh have been declared for the arrest of absconding accused persons Mujibulla, Hyder Ali, Numan and Taufiq”.
