City cops seek custody of IM operatives involved in New Delhi terror strike; believe terror front was involved in the IPL twin-blasts in the city as well
City cops seek custody of IM operatives involved in New Delhi terror strike; believe terror front was involved in the IPL twin-blasts in the city as well
The city police began by blaming the April 17 Chinnaswamy Stadium blasts on the betting mafia, and then announced that it was the Mumbai underworld that did it.
The latest theory doing the rounds is that terrorists involved in the New Delhi serial serial blasts were responsible for the blasts in the stadium as well.
Though police officers admit they have made no headway in the case, sources in the Intelligence Bureau say that all evidence points to the role of the banned terror organisation Indian Mujahideen.
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| Shahzad Alam had confessed to the police that he along with the Atif Amin were to go to Pakistan to get training. |
It is from this line of suspicion that the police have sought the custody of Shahzad Alam (22) alias Pappu, an accused in the 2008 Delhi serial blast case and an Indian Mujahideen operative.
Alam was a close associate of Atif Amin, who was killed in the Batla house encounter.
In April this year, while an IPL match was on, a blast overshadowed the din of the crowd assembled to watch the match. Within an hour, the police defused two live bombs in the stadium.
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At that time Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari had ruled out the involvement of terror organisations in the attack and had instead blamed mischief mongers.
Later, the city police said the blast was the handiwork of the betting lobby or the underworld. Home Minister Dr VS Acharya had endorsed the theories floated by the police.
However, following four months of intense investigations, CCB sleuths have zeroed in on the terror attack angle.
Shahzad had confessed to the police that he along with Atif Amin was to go to Pakistan to get training.
He also confessed that he was hiding with Atif at Batla House and reportedly fired at Inspector M C Sharma, who later succumbed to his injuries.
Salman alias Chotu alias Sahib Alias Samir Alias Fahib (20), a bachelor of computer application student was also allegedly involved in the serial bomb blasts in Gorakhpur on May 22, 2007, blasts in Varanasi Civil Court on November 23, 2007, the May 13, 2008, bomb blasts in Jaipur, as well as the serial blasts in Ahmedabad on July 26, 2008.
Sources in the police said they have strong reasons to believe that IM operatives were involved in the stadium blasts.
"We strongly suspect that the IM suspects who are lodged in Tihar jail know something important about the stadium blasts," said an investigating official.
"We are also suspecting the link between these accused with the T Nazeer group who are accused in the Bangalore serial blasts," the official said.
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"We have applied for a body warrant through the first additional chief metropolitan magistrate and a team will leave for UP soon to seek their custody," he said.
Joint Commissioner of Police (crime) Alok Kumar, who is heading the investigations into the Chinnaswamy stadium blasts, refused to confirm if the terror angle was being explored.
"All I can say is that there is no headway in the stadium blast investigations," said Kumar.
| Why is Shahzad A suspect? |
| He surveyed Bangalore and knew about IPL matches
Had enrolled for a pilot training course in Bangalore earlier
Clock used to set timer was Prince brand, which was also used in other IM blasts
Pune blast accused and IM operative Maulana Shabbir knows Shahzad and Riyaz Bhatkal |
