BASHIR, 9 OTHERS REMANDED TO 14-DAY POLICE CUSTODY
Ahmedabad August 18:
The city metropolitan court here on Sunday granted the police 14-day custody of the nine accused arrested in connection with the Ahmedabad serial blasts case.
The nine activists of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), arrested on July 26, were produced in the court under tight security. They were arrested along with Mufti Abu Bashir, the alleged mastermind in the Ahmedabad serial blasts.
Metropolitan Magistrate J K Pandya passed the remand order after police sought custody of the activists for interrogation to unravel the conspiracy behind the blasts which claimed 55 lives. Those remanded in custody are Zahid Sheikh, Imran Sheikh, Sajid Mansuri, Iqbal Sheikh, Samsudin Sheikh, Yunus Mansuri, Gyasuddin Ansari, Arif Kadri and Usman Agarbattiwala, all in the age group of 20-25 years.
The police in their submission had asked remand of the accused under various provisions of the IPC which include sections 120(1A) (Waging war against the state), 153(A) (creating rift between two communities), 302 (murder) and 307(attempt to murder).
The accused were also booked under the Explosive Substance Act (sections 3 & 7), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (sections 16, 18, 20) and Damage to Public Property Act (sections 3 & 4). Seeking remand of the militants in the court today, police listed 14 reasons why the accused need to be in their custody for further interrogations. They said further questioning is needed to find out how, when, where and by whom the conspiracy of the blasts was hatched.
The mastermind of the blast Mufti Abu Bashir, who was arrested from Uttar Pradesh, was brought to the city last night on a three-day transit remand. SIMI activist Mufti Abu Bashir, the alleged mastermind of the blasts, was present in the city on the day of the blasts, crime branch officials found out during his interrogation.
Bashir had made his base in Ahmedabad for two months and had stayed at a rented house in Vatva from where he controlled the entire operations, police said.
Blasts meticulously planned: The July 26 serial blasts here were a result of meticulous planning with specific roles cut out for every individual, Gujarat Police have said. Sajid Mansuri, another key accused in the case arrested by the police, had played a significant role of conduit between the masterminds of the serial blasts and its executors.
Mansuri, who was the Gujarat zonal secretary of SIMI before it was banned, had stayed in Vadodara for the past couple of years before shifting to Bharuch from where he was arrested.
Zahid Sheikh of Ahmedabad, a staunch follower of SIMI ideology and an expert driver, was given the task of handling cars and purchases of cycles used in the blasts, police sources said. Zahid had received training in camps organised by SIMI leader Nagori in Kerala and Halol in the state.
Modi congratulates Gujarat police: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the state police for cracking the serial blasts case in less than three weeks of the attack.
"By arresting the terrorists behind the Ahmedabad serial blasts, Gujarat police have created a hope in the country that this menace can be fought," Modi told Gujarat police team led by DGP P C Pande who went to meet him in Gandhingar today.
"Terrorists have been striking at will in various parts of the country for last six years. Gujarat also became their target. All of us feel that terrorism should be uprooted from the country. Gujarat police have proved that success can be achieved in this regard," Modi said.
Modi said that he has asked the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to clear Gujarat Control of Organised Crime Bill (GUJCOC), which is a tougher law to fight such crimes.
3 detained in Jaipur: Meanwhile, the Rajasthan police have detained three persons, including two SIMI activists, for questioning in connection with the Jaipur explosions in May.
Riaz and Vasim Kabadi from Talabpara area and Abid Bhai Kapdewala from Shoepurian Masjid area were detained by the police in Baran, about 100 kms from Kota, last evening, a police officer said. All the three have been taken to Jaipur for further investigation, he said.
Ahmedabad August 18:
The city metropolitan court here on Sunday granted the police 14-day custody of the nine accused arrested in connection with the Ahmedabad serial blasts case.
The nine activists of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), arrested on July 26, were produced in the court under tight security. They were arrested along with Mufti Abu Bashir, the alleged mastermind in the Ahmedabad serial blasts.
Metropolitan Magistrate J K Pandya passed the remand order after police sought custody of the activists for interrogation to unravel the conspiracy behind the blasts which claimed 55 lives. Those remanded in custody are Zahid Sheikh, Imran Sheikh, Sajid Mansuri, Iqbal Sheikh, Samsudin Sheikh, Yunus Mansuri, Gyasuddin Ansari, Arif Kadri and Usman Agarbattiwala, all in the age group of 20-25 years.
The police in their submission had asked remand of the accused under various provisions of the IPC which include sections 120(1A) (Waging war against the state), 153(A) (creating rift between two communities), 302 (murder) and 307(attempt to murder).
The accused were also booked under the Explosive Substance Act (sections 3 & 7), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (sections 16, 18, 20) and Damage to Public Property Act (sections 3 & 4). Seeking remand of the militants in the court today, police listed 14 reasons why the accused need to be in their custody for further interrogations. They said further questioning is needed to find out how, when, where and by whom the conspiracy of the blasts was hatched.
The mastermind of the blast Mufti Abu Bashir, who was arrested from Uttar Pradesh, was brought to the city last night on a three-day transit remand. SIMI activist Mufti Abu Bashir, the alleged mastermind of the blasts, was present in the city on the day of the blasts, crime branch officials found out during his interrogation.
Bashir had made his base in Ahmedabad for two months and had stayed at a rented house in Vatva from where he controlled the entire operations, police said.
Blasts meticulously planned: The July 26 serial blasts here were a result of meticulous planning with specific roles cut out for every individual, Gujarat Police have said. Sajid Mansuri, another key accused in the case arrested by the police, had played a significant role of conduit between the masterminds of the serial blasts and its executors.
Mansuri, who was the Gujarat zonal secretary of SIMI before it was banned, had stayed in Vadodara for the past couple of years before shifting to Bharuch from where he was arrested.
Zahid Sheikh of Ahmedabad, a staunch follower of SIMI ideology and an expert driver, was given the task of handling cars and purchases of cycles used in the blasts, police sources said. Zahid had received training in camps organised by SIMI leader Nagori in Kerala and Halol in the state.
Modi congratulates Gujarat police: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the state police for cracking the serial blasts case in less than three weeks of the attack.
"By arresting the terrorists behind the Ahmedabad serial blasts, Gujarat police have created a hope in the country that this menace can be fought," Modi told Gujarat police team led by DGP P C Pande who went to meet him in Gandhingar today.
"Terrorists have been striking at will in various parts of the country for last six years. Gujarat also became their target. All of us feel that terrorism should be uprooted from the country. Gujarat police have proved that success can be achieved in this regard," Modi said.
Modi said that he has asked the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to clear Gujarat Control of Organised Crime Bill (GUJCOC), which is a tougher law to fight such crimes.
3 detained in Jaipur: Meanwhile, the Rajasthan police have detained three persons, including two SIMI activists, for questioning in connection with the Jaipur explosions in May.
Riaz and Vasim Kabadi from Talabpara area and Abid Bhai Kapdewala from Shoepurian Masjid area were detained by the police in Baran, about 100 kms from Kota, last evening, a police officer said. All the three have been taken to Jaipur for further investigation, he said.
