Malegaon blasts case solved: Police

The police on Monday claimed to have successfully solved the September 8 Malegaon serial blasts case and said that two Pakistani nationals were involved in the explosions carried out allegedly by the banned Students Islamic Movement of India.

"We have successfully detected the Malegaon blasts case. We are, however, on the lookout for eight more suspects in the case," Director General of Police P S Pasricha told reporters in Mumbai.

The Anti-Terrorism Squad probing into the case has already arrested eight suspects, including two booked in the July 11 Mumbai serial blasts, in connection of four explosions that rocked the town killing 31 people and injuring more than 200.

Pasricha said that one of the prime conspirators of the blasts, Shabbir Batterwalla, had received training at a camp near Karachi in Pakistan in 2003 but did not confirm if the Lashkar-e-Tayiba was behind it.

To a specific query regarding the involvement of Pakistani intelligence agency ISI, Pasricha said: "I have spoken about the country where he received the training. There may have been some help."

According to him, a Pakistani national by the name of Muzammil had assembled the improvised explosive devices at Malegaon in the third week of July after Mohammed Ali (July 11 accused), along with Junaid and two others delivered the RDX to prime accused Shabbir Batterywalla.

"Ali had sent 15 kg of RDX but only two kg was used to trigger the explosions. We are on the lookout for the remaining quantity," Pasricha said.

To a specific query, regarding ISI's involvement in the case, Pasricha said: "I have spoken about the country where he (Batterywala) received the training, there can be some help."

A total of eight people have been arrested in connection with the conspiracy and police is on the lookout for eight more, Pasricha said.

The names of the eight arrested in connection with the four blasts are as under: Noor ul Hooda, Shabbir Ahmed, Raees Ahmed, Salman Farsi, Farooq Maqdoomi, Mohammad Ali, Asif Ali alias Junaid and Mohammad Jahid. Out of the above, Junaid and Mohammad Ali are also accused in the July 11 serial train blasts conspiracy.      

According to Pasricha, Mohammad Ali had sent Shabbir Batterywala to Pakistan for training in a camp situated on a hillock near the sea close to Karachi. Ali, along with Junaid and two more persons, had transported 15 kg of RDX to Malegaon, which was stored in Shabbir's godown.

Pasricha said Pakistani national by the name of Muzammil had assisted in the assembly of an IED at Malegaon in the third week of July after the RDX was delivered. The RDX used for the blasts had come to India before May 2006 and the conspiracy was hatched at Noor ul Hooda's wedding at Malegaon on May 8.

"In all, 15 kg of RDX was delivered at Malegaon by Mohammad Ali and only two kg was used to trigger the four blasts. Investigations are on to trace the remaining RDX," Pasricha said.

He said they have four more months' time to file the chargesheet. Thirty one people were killed and over 200 injured in the Malegaon blasts on September 8.