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Pune blast: Needle of suspicion on Moshin

Last updated on: February 13, 2010 23:52 IST

Moshin Chaudhary has been out of news for quite some time. The Pune blasts have now brought this name back in the limelight and the Mumbai ATS has launched a massive manhunt.

Moshin Chaudhary, according to several Indian Mujahideen operatives, had taken over the India operations of the IM following the arrest of Safdar Nagori and the fleeing of Abdul Subhan. Chaudhary was closely associated with Riyaz Bhatkal, the founder of the IM and was instrumental in setting up several modules of the outfit in India.

Mohsin, who hails from Pune, played a key role in operation Bangalore Ahmedabad and Delhi. In fact, he was the one who brought to the limelight the key IM operative Mansoor Pheerbhoy who played a crucial role in setting up the tech cell of the outfit.
Intelligence Bureau officials say that Chaudhary hails from Pune and hence was given the responsibility of looking after the Pune module which was very important for the IM.

Just a couple of months ago, Chaudhary met with several IM operatives in Pune and had organized two apartments in the city for the operatives. The IB says that Chaudhary had a role to play in the Pune blasts and there is no way in which he would not have been in the know of this operation.

Chaudhary who is said to be in India, maintained a low profile since he did not wish to alert security agencies about his movements. Following the large number of IM arrests last year, it was crucial for Chaudhary to be on the loose since he was the one who had to rally the cadres in India.

Mohsin was almost caught by security agencies following the blasts in Delhi, but he managed to give the police the slip thanks to his brother Ismail. Just before the security agencies cracked down on the IM operatives, Ismail had arranged for a car for his brother Mohsin to escape.

IB sources say that Mohsin did not manage to slip out of the country and could very well be in India at the moment. The Delhi police who are currently interrogating IM operative Shahzad will try and find out about the whereabouts of Mohsin who will be crucial to cracking this case.

Vicky Nanjappa