Suspected lashkar-e-Tayyeba (leT) operatives Abdul Subhan and his nephew Asahbuddin, arrested for their alleged roles in conspiring to carry out terror strikes in Delhi and adjoining areas, were today remanded to police custody till August 12 by a court on Saturday. Subhan and Asahbuddin were produced before court on expiry of their remand and Special Cell of Delhi Police sought extension of their custody by 15 days saying they were required to be confronted with co-accused Arshad, a Pakistani national lodged in Kolkata jail in connection with the shoe baron Partha Roy Burman kidnapping case of 2001.
With their arrest, police had claimed to have unearthed a terror module of leT which was at an “advanced stage” of planning a major strike in Delhi. Regarding Baluchi, police had said Intelligence agencies had provided information in November last year that Baluchi was contacted on his Pakistani mobile number from Rajasthan and there were conversations regarding a conspiracy to carry out a terror strike in India.
The Investigating Officer (IO) submitted before the court that Arshad was likely to be brought here as production warrant has already been issued against him by the court for August 5. “Accused Arshad is an important link between accused Abdul Subhan, Asahbuddin and Javed Baluchi based in Pakistan. Both the accused (Subhan and Asahbuddin) are to be confronted with accused Arshad to unearth the entire conspiracy between them to commit terrorist act in Delhi and neighbouring areas,” the police told the court.
Advocate MS Khan, appearing for both the accused, opposed the plea of police contending that they have not said anything about the custodial interrogation of his clients. Khan also questioned Baluchi’s identity saying police have not said anything about Javed Baluchi, who is still absconding and is now based in Pakistan, in its chargesheet filed in the case against arrested accused Mohd Rashid and Mohd Shahid. “Does any person by the name Javed Baluchi existIJ There was no material in the chargesheet filed earlier which tells about the identity of Baluchi,” he said.
Subhan was arrested by Special Cell on May 20 while Asahbuddin, who was serving life-term in Kolkata for his role in Partha Roy Burman kidnapping case, was arrested here on May 27 after he was brought here in pursuance to a production warrant issued against him by the court. During the arguments, police told the court that Baluchi, a top leT commander based in Pakistan, was the “kingpin” of the entire conspiracy and Arshad was in touch with him. It also claimed that Subhan was required to be taken out of Delhi to recover mobile phones used by him in the entire conspiracy.
The police had earlier told the court that these accused were arrested in connection with a case of conspiracy of leT to kidnap a businessman or industrialist to generate funds for buying weapons and explosives to carry out terror attacks in Delhi and adjoining areas. The police had said a chargesheet was filed against Mohd Rashid and Mohd Shahid on May 8 this year and they were charged with offences of criminal conspiracy under IPC and under the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the case. Rashid and Shahid were arrested in December last year from Haryana’s Mewat region.