Everyone wants Jundal's custody! Now NIA goes to court

The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday told a Delhi court that it wants custodial interrogation of the 26/11 key handler Abu Jundal to 'get more information' about the conspiracy hatched by Lashkar-e-Tayiba for terror strikes across India.

The NIA said it was making the plea to get the custody of Jundal alias Syed Zaibuddin from the Delhi Police, as it had registered a case on June 8 on the orders of the Ministry of Home Affairs about the alleged conspiracy hatched by the deported terrorist and others to wage war against India.

The agency said the case was registered on credible information that a native of Juna Bazaar in Beed, Maharashtra, was making efforts to collect explosives, including ammonium nitrate as per a plot by LeT members like Zaibuddin Ansari, Fayaz Kagzi and others for organising terror strikes across India and not limited to Delhi and Mumbai alone.

While Delhi Police opposed the handing over of Jundal's custody to NIA contending that he has been jointly interrogated by them and the NIA, the federal agency's plea to the court said it "wants more information" as the Centre has suo motu authorised it to investigate the case registered on June 8.

NIA's counsel Ahmed Khan submitted to Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vinod Yaadav that the probe agency had not interrogated Jundal in relation to the June 8 FIR and that he was quizzed in the custody of Delhi police in connection with the case relating to the larger conspiracy in the Mumbai terror attack of 2008 involving US national David Coleman Headley.

The judge, after hearing the brief submissions by counsel for the Delhi Police and the NIA, said he will hear the case on Thursday, when Jundal's 15-day custody with police ends.

"It might be the case that the special cell may seek extension of Jundal's custody on Thursday. So I will decide your application on Thursday," the judge said.

The Delhi Police, in its reply to the notice on NIA's plea for Jundal's custody, said, "It is pertinent to mention that the NIA officials have already been granted access to accused Syed Ziabuddin for carrying out certain investigation procedures on basis of official request received from them."

It added "the investigation of the case is in progress and the police custody of Jundal is required for the same."

The court will also take up the pleas of Mumbai Crime Branch, CID and the Pune ATS for Jundal's custody in connection with various cases under the Indian Penal Code, Explosive Substances Act, Ulawful Activities Prevention Act and the Arms Act.

Jundal allegedly had trained the ten Pakistani terrorists who had attacked Mumbai on November 26, 2008, besides teaching them basic Hindi and apprising them of Mumbai's topography.

He was arrested from the Indira Gandhi International Airport on June 21 and is in the custody of Delhi Police till July 5.

He has been arrested currently in connection with an FIR registered on November 22, 2011 relating to the arrest of Indian Mujahideen operatives and is also being interrogated for his involvement in Jama Masjid, German Bakery and Chinnaswamy stadium blasts.

He has been booked under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Explosive Substances Act, the Passport Act and various sections of the IPC.