The NIA on Sunday announced a cash reward of up to Rs 10 lakh for any information leading to the arrest of five absconding accused of banned Indian Mujahideen terror group — including Tahseen Akhtar in Bodh Gaya and Patna serial blasts cases.
Besides Akhtar, alias Monu, a resident of Bihar, others named by the NIA were Haider Ali, alias Abdullah, Numan Ansari, Taufeeq Ansari and Mojibullah, all residents of Jharkhand. Through the announcement, the NIA sought the cooperation and assistance of general public to provide information leading to the arrest of these five operatives of the Indian Mujahideen. They are wanted for their alleged involvement in the planning and commission of terrorist acts including the Bodh Gaya blasts and Patna blasts.
Anyone providing information leading to arrest of Akhtar and Ali would be paid a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh whereas for other three it would be Rs five lakh each. Akhtar, who has taken over the India operations of Indian Mujahideen after the arrest of Yaseen Bhatkal, is also wanted in connection with the Hyderabad blasts. Besides Bodh Gaya and Patna blasts, Ali is also sought by the agency in another case related to the role of the terror outfit including its finances.
While five monks were injured in Bodh Gaya blasts, as many as six people died in Patna blasts during a rally addressed by BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. NIA has arrested four persons including Mohammed Imtiyaz Ansari, who was nabbed by the public when he along with another IM accused were assembling bombs inside a toilet at Patna railway station.