12 days remand of Bhatkal, Akhtar

Ahmedabad: Hardcore terrorist and founder of Indian Mujahideen (IM) Yasin Bhatkal and his accomplice in various terror incidents Asadulla Akhtar alias Haddi were produced in a special court inside the Sabarmati centra jail here, which allowed their remand to the crime branch of Ahmedabad police for 12 days for further interrogation and investigation in connection the 2008 serial bomb blasts in the city which killed 56 persons and injured more than 240.

DCP Crime Branch Dipen Bhadran said that Bhatkal and Akhtar, both of whom have already been sentenced to death by a NIA court of Hyderabad in December last year, were produced in the court here inside the high security prison. The crime branch had sought 14 days remand whereas the court allowed it for 12 days.

Bhatkal, who is mastermind behind several such blasts in the country including 2010 Bangalore and Varanasi blasts, 2012 Pune blast and 2013 triple blasts in Mumbai and the Hyderabad blast, was also the main conspirator of the 20 serial blasts of July 2008 in Ahmedabad. His aide Asadulla Akhtar alias Haddi who was nabbed by the NIA along with Yasin on the India-Nepal border near Motihari, Bihar on August 28 2013 was also brought to Ahmedabad from Tihar Jail of Delhi in tight security yesterday. Yasin was brought by air the same day.
The terrorist duo have been brought from Delhi after getting their custody on a production warrant from court following a long legal effort to do so. They been sentenced to death by the special NIA court in Hyderabad in December last year and were lodged in Tihar Jail.

The crime branch had lodged 20 different cases in connection with Ahmedabad serial blast of July 2008 which had killed innocent people in Civil Hospital, L G Hospital, Sarkhej, Kalol and other areas. of the 97 accused, 77 were already arrested, chargesheeted and jailed. Yasin and Akhtar were the two main culprits and among 20 absconding ones. Bomb were planted in cars as well as bicycles.

A police official said that they also be taken to Surat if the need arises for the investigation of the recovery of bombs planted in Surat which were detected before blast.The Anti terrorist squad (ATS) of Gujarat police would also interrogate them.

34 year old Bhatkal, who was native of South Kannada district of Karnataka had also undertook arms and explosive training in Pakistan in 2006 to launch terror attacks. in India. Akhtar was native of Azamgadh district of Uttar Pradesh.

DeshGujarat