NIA arrests Bhatkal's aide in fresh case of terror strikes

Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal's close aide Mohd Manjer Imam was on Tuesday arrested in a fresh case by the National Investigation Agency inside a Delhi court in connection with terror strikes across the country since 2003 and remanded to 15-day police custody.

Imam was produced before District Judge I S Mehta from Ernakulam in Kerala in pursuance to the production warrant issued against him and the NIA sought his custodial interrogation to unearth the entire conspiracy which led to various terror strikes in the country.

Imam was arrested by the NIA after the court allowed its plea and granted the probe agency his 15-day custody.

"During his (Bhatkal) custodial examination, he (Bhatkal) revealed that another IM operative namely Manjer Imam has been working closely with other IM associates like Tahseen Akhtar under the command of another founder member of IM namely Riyaz Bhatkal," the NIA said.

The probe agency also referred to the chat communications between IM founders Yasin and Riyaz and said that during the investigation, it has come out that Imam was working for the banned terror outfit under the instructions of Riyaz and others.

"Investigation has revealed that the accused (Imam) has played a significant role in the conspiracy of IM and is associated with other IM operatives. It has been revealed that the accused person has also stayed with other IM operatives, at various places in India and is having explicit knowledge about the hide outs of other IM operatives and their locations," the agency said.      

NIA said Imam's detailed interrogation was required to unearth the details of "larger conspiracy hatched" by IM operatives.

The court allowed the NIA's plea and remanded Imam to police custody till October 15.

Image: NIA logo