One of India’s top 20 wanted terrorists Abdul Karim Tunda, who was formally arrested by Delhi Police on Friday, was actually taken into custody by the Indian security agencies six days back.
Based on his interrogation over the last week, the intelligence and security agencies are expected to conduct searches across the country to nab the members of the sleeper cells of the lashkar-e-Tayyeba and their affiliates here, sources said without divulging any further details. Intelligence sources said though Tunda is now a spent force; he still is a valuable catch since he has the potential to give insights into the forward planning and operational agenda of the leT. Besides, he can also reveal the designs of other Indian fugitives staying in Pakistan and the depth of assistance provided by the ISI and Pak Army to various terror groups including the leT.
A team of IB officials and sleuths of the National Investigation Agency and the Delhi Police will question Tunda during his three-day police custody. Tunda is accused of masterminding 40 bombings in the country, leading to the death of at least 20 people and causing injury to hundreds of people. The Special Cell of the Delhi Police arrested Tunda, alias Abdul Quddoos, on Friday afternoon from the Banwasa-Mahendarnagar border with Nepal. Tunda was one of the 20 terrorists India had demanded the Pakistani Government to hand over after the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes.
Conflicting reports emerged over the circumstances in which Tunda was arrested from the Indo-Nepal border. While one version suggested Tunda was deported from a Gulf country, the other said he left Karachi around 10 days back and reached Kathmandu via Dubai. Intelligence agencies were tracking him from Dubai and gave a tip-off to theSpecial Cell of Delhi Police leading to his arrest. Intelligence sources ruled out the possibility of Pakistani agencies giving tip-off on Tunda as he has outlived his utility. “Even if Tunda is not an asset for the Pakistani agencies, they would not hand him over to India as he can reveal potentially damaging inputs on the terror infrastructure across the border,” an intelligence source said.