Police sources reveal that Samad has merely been arrested in the hope that he will provide inputs that will lead cops to his brother and Pune blast-accused Yasin Bhatkal.
Police sources reveal that Samad has merely been arrested in the hope that he will provide inputs that will lead cops to his brother and Pune blast-accused Yasin Bhatkal.
Abdul Samad, who was arrested by a Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) at the Bajpe Airport in Mangalore on Monday, is reportedly a bait thrown to nab his brother Yasin Bhatkal, who is wanted in the Pune German Bakery blast case, according to police sources.
While it is suspected that Samad, who was whisked away by ATS sleuths while his family waited outside the airport for him, was also involved in the blast, the police do not have any evidence that points to his involvement.
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| A lady cop outside German Bakery in Pune after the blast |
CID officials investigating the Bangalore blast earlier picked up Samad, who was studying in Bangalore, along with other suspects.
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He was released after sustained interrogation because the investigators could not prove he was involved.
Samad, a stepbrother of Yasin Bhatkal, was studying in Bangalore. Two days after the Pune Bakery blast, he left for Dubai, which aroused the suspicions ofu00a0 Mumbai ATS, which was keeping a tab on Yasin Bhatkal's family. A lookout circular was issued very shortly against him.
Samad's mother, Bibi Rehana told MiD DAY that the media was reading too much into her son's detention. "Samad returned to India to renew his visiting visa. He had gone to Dubai looking for a job.
The police are looking for Yasin, who has not kept in touch with us for the last four years. Samad has been detained only for questioning," said Rehana.
Mohammed Yaqub Siddibapa, Samad's uncle, said he was surprised to see all passengers stream out of the airport except for Abdul Samad.
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"Airport officials told me that he had been arrested and taken to Mumbai on a special flight. Abdul has been detained for no reason.
He is innocent. He has unfairly been presented in TV as a terrorist," Siddibapa told the assembled newspersons.
Rehana added that security agencies were unnecessarily harassing her family.
"Mohammed Ahmed and Yasinu00a0 (elder brother of Abdul Samad) have been falsely accused of several blasts in the country. He is on the run for the fear of being arrested.
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The police have not been able to arrest Mohammed Ahmed. They have instead arrested Abdul Samad," Rehana added.
Abdul Samad's parents have appealed to Muslim organisations in Bhatkal such as Majlise Islah wa Tanzeem to help them secure release of their son.
8.30 amThe time at which the flight carrying Abdul Samad from Dubai landed in Mangalore's Bajpe Airport on Monday
