Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal and his close aide Asadullah Akhtar on Tuesday were remanded in custody of Delhi Police till December 20 by a court in connection with a September 13, 2008 serial blasts case in Delhi.
Bhatkal and Akhtar were produced before Additional Sessions Judge Daya Prakash after expiry of their remand in the case of September 2010 Jama Masjid terror attack which occurred days before the Commonwealth Games held in New Delhi.
The special cell of Delhi Police told the court that they did not need further custodial interrogation of both the accused in the Jama Masjid terror attack case.
The police, however, said that they need to interrogate them in connection with the September 13, 2008 blast at Karol Bagh in New Delhi. Several bomb blasts had rocked the national capital on that day claiming 26 lives and leaving 135 people injured. The court allowed the police's plea and remanded both Bhatkal and Akhtar in police custody till December 20.
Five cases were registered in connection with the serial blasts at Gaffar Market in Karol Bagh, Barakhamba Road in Connaught Place, M-Block Market in Greater Kailash and recovery of a bomb near India Gate. 13 suspected Indian Mujahideen (IM) members are presently facing trial in the 2008 serial blasts cases.
Among the 13 accused, five men were arrested after an encounter with police at Batla House in New Delhi on September 19, 2008. All the five cases were clubbed by the lower court for the purpose of framing of charges and trial.
The accused facing trial in the case are Mohd Shakeel, Mohd Saif, Zeeshan Ahmed, Zia-ur-Rehaman, Saquib Nisar, Mohd Sadique, Kayamuddin Kapadia, Mohd Hakim, Mohd Mansoor Ashgar Peerbhoy, Mubin Kadar Sheikh, Asif Bashiruddin, Mohd Akbar Ismail Chaudhary and Shahzad Ahmed.
According to NIA, Bhatkal, wanted in around 40 terror cases and carrying a reward of Rs 35 lakh, and Akhtar were arrested from the Indo-Nepal border on the night of August 28. Since their arrest, both the accused are in custody of NIA and Delhi Police in connection with various terror cases.
Bhatkal, who hails from Bhatkal village in Udupi district of north Karnataka, was allegedly involved in a string of terror attacks in Ahmedabad, Surat, Bangalore, Pune, Delhi and Hyderabad, NIA had said.
30-year-old Bhatkal, who was earlier associated with banned outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), is suspected to have hatched a conspiracy with others to wage war against India.
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