Judicial custody of 21 IM members extended

The special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court on Friday extended the judicial custody of 21 alleged members of the terror group Indian Mujahideen till January 30.

The 21 accused have been arrested for their involvement in the Delhi, Ahmedabad and Surat bomb blasts and other blasts across Indian since 2005.

The prosecution had sought police custody of one of the IM members, Anwar Ali Bagwaan, a Pune-based doctor who was arrested on January 6 for his alleged links with the terror group.

Bagwaan has been accused of allegedly training the other IM members on how to administer sedatives on persons they were planning to kidnap.

Bagwaan's custody was sought by the prosecution for verification of certain documents that have been recovered from his house.

According to the prosecution, Bagwaan had taken two apartments in Pune on rent in his name and had allegedly given it to the IM members for their use.

"The rent and cash deposit for the apartments were provided by IM founder Riyaz Bhatkal and his brother, both of whom are absconding," the prosecution argued.

Special MCOCA Judge M P Kukday refused to grant police custody observing that the investigating agency does not require Bagwaan's custody for verification of documents.