An absconding accused in the 2002 Ghatkopar blast incident in Mumbai was today arrested by the Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS), an official said here. ATS officials nabbed Yahya Abdul Rehman Shaikh (45) from Aurangabad in Maharashtra and handed him over to the Maharashtra police, said a senior ATS official.

Shaikh had fled to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia immediately after the blast, and returned to Aurangabad only two days ago, he said. "Gujarat ATS team was in Aurangabad in connection with some other case. We detained Shaikh on suspicion, and during the questioning he admitted to involvement in the Ghatkopar blast. Since he is not facing any case in Gujarat, we handed him over to Maharashtra police," the official said.