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Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad
A vice-president of the outlawed religious organisation -- Deendar Anjuman -- was arrested by the Karnataka police here on Thursday.
According to official sources, an eight-member team of the Karnataka police effected the arrest of 82-year-old Osman Ali Mallanna, vice-president of the banned outfit, at the Deendar headquarters at Asifnagar in the city.
He was booked under Sections 7, 10 and 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
He was produced in a local court and later taken to Karnataka.
The Karnataka police team descended on the Deendar headquarters on Wednesday night, to interrogate the octogenarian leader, in connection with criminal offences allegedly committed by some Deendar activists. They quizzed him about the whereabouts of Mohammed Mohiuddin, a key accused in the serial bomb blasts case, at places of worship.
The Karnataka police said Mallanna's name was in the diary of an accused in the serial bomb blasts at places of worship in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Goa. Mallanna, however, told them that he was not aware of any criminal activities or persons involved in the blasts.
He asked the police to produce an arrest warrant.
Subsequently, the police team returned to Asifnagar on Thursday morning with relevant documents.
The Deendar Anjuman was banned by the Government of India last month, in connection with the serial blasts at places of worship, including churches, a temple and a mosque, in AP, Karnataka and Goa in May-July last year. The Andhra Pradesh government issued the notification banning the organisation in the state and sealed the offices of the Deendar Anjuman in Hyderabad, Vijayawada and other places.
The organisation's bank accounts were also frozen.
About 40 Deendar activists were allegedly involved in criminal cases in Andhra Pradesh. The Criminal Investigation Department had booked 21 cases against them, including a conspiracy case, in connection with the bomb blasts, dacoities and desecration of Ambedkar statues. The accused were arrested and are undergoing trial for the offences.
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