Naquee Ahmed, one of the 13/7 blasts accused, was in contact with Indian Mujahideen's elusive chief operative Yasin Bhatkal through a popular social networking site since 2008, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad claimed on Sunday.Naquee, who hails from Darbhanga district of Bihar, was initially arrested on January 10 this year on charges of forgery for allegedly procuring mobile phone SIM cards using fake documents.
The revelations made by blast mastermind and Indian Mujahideen founder Yasin Bhatkal have helped the agency understand that the case has two angles to it -- the first being the blend between Indian and Pakistani operatives and secondly the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad being wrong from day one of the probe.
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squasd, probing the 13/7 blasts case, is on hunt for five more alleged Indian Mujahideen operatives suspected to have played key role in the terror attacks, besides the group's top operative Yasin Bhatkal and two planters, police said on Sunday.
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad probing the 13/7 Mumbai triple blasts case has invoked the stringent provisions of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act against the four arrested accused.
The Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad on Wednesday arrested two accused already in custody in the July 13 triple blasts case for allegedly lifting two bikes that were used to trigger explosions at two out of three venues.
Two of the five alleged Indian Mujahideen operatives behind bars in connection with 13/7 bomb blasts case were on Monday arrested in a motorcycle theft case, a senior Anti-Terrorism Squad official said.
Almost a year after three bomb blasts shook the city killing 27 people and injuring many others, the Anti-Terrorism Squad filed a 4,000-page charge sheet in a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court against four accused in the case. The four accused -- Naquee Ahmed, Nadeem Shaikh, Kanwar Pathrija and Haroon Naik -- are facing trial under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, Indian Penal Code and other laws.
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to order any probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation or any other central agency into the allegations by the brother of a 13/7 Mumbai serial blast accused that his family was being framed by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad.
Taquee appeared before the ATS office on Sunday in pursuant to an order from the Supreme Court which asked him to report to the investigating officer of the 13/7 blasts case for recording of his statement.
Three personnel of Maharashtra's elite Anti-Terrorism Squad, who had gone to summon 13/7 Mumbai blasts accused Naquee Ahmed's brother, Taquee, were on Monday detained by the Delhi police.