In a setback to the Special Taskforce (STF) of the State Crime Branch, New Delhi’s Tis Hazari Court on Friday again rejected the STF’s plea for a 15-day remand of the suspected al-Qaeda operative Abdul Rehman on grounds that the remand application had not been made within a required timeframe.
Earlier on March 14, the court too had rejected the State investigating agency’s remand prayer.
On May 5, the Salepur Judicial Magistrate First Class (JFMC) Court had allowed the STF to take the suspected terrorist on a 15-day remand from May 25 for quizzing. But the court's remand order needed to be acknowledged by the Tis Hazari Court, where Rehman would be produced after his remand period ends with the Jharkhand police.
Meanwhile, sources in the Crime Branch said the investigating agency would apply for remand of Rehman in Jameshedpur court as he is now under the Jharkhand police custody.
The 37-year-old Rehman, a resident of Pachimkachha in Cuttack, was arrested on December 16, 2015 on the charge of indoctrinating cadres for the al-Qaeda in joint raid by the Commissionerate Police and Special Cell of the Delhi police.
The STF will find out about his complete network whether he had links or associates in Odisha and outside.