Notwithstanding tight security, Syed Abdul Karim Tunda, top leT bomb expert, was on Tuesday assaulted in the premises of a city court which remanded him to four-day police custody to quiz him in connection with 37 bomb blast cases across the country. Tunda was hit on his back and stomach by alleged 'Hindu Sena' activists whose attempt to slap him was thwarted by the escorting police personnel.
The 70-year-old terrorist was produced before Metropolitan Magistrate Jay Thareja, who extended his custodial interrogation for four days (till August 24). The Delhi Police had sought Tunda's custody for 10 days for taking him to three different places outside the national Capital for probing his links with various terror outfits.
The police said Tunda was declared a proclaimed offender in a 1994 case — recovery of explosive substances — lodged at south Delhi's Malviya Nagar Police Station — under the provisions of stringent anti-terror law TADA. Tunda told the court he did not have money to hire a lawyer, but some advocates volunteered to represent him and advocate MS Khan, who had the 'vakalatnama' (power of attorney), was allowed to appear for him.
During the proceedings, which were held 'in-camera', after a lawyer interrupted it, Tunda told the court that he was "innocent" as he had not motivated anyone to kill women and children by exploding bombs. Advocate Khan told reporters after the proceedings that Tunda claimed in the court that he used to teach others about 'Jihad' — whose true meaning bars any kind of violence.
The police, while seeking extension of Tunda's remand, said that in 1994, he had left India and during 1996-97, 37 bomb blasts took place in North India, including New Delhi, Varanasi and Kanpur. The special cell said it was collecting the FIRs lodged against Tunda in different States.