New Delhi, April 2 (IANS) The NIA and Delhi Police both informed a court here Wednesday that they want the custody of two suspected Indian Mujahideen operatives.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) told the court that it wants the custody of Tehsin Akhtar alias Monu and Pakistani national Waqas alias Zia-ur-Rehman for the 2013 Dilsukhnagar blasts in Hyderabad.
The NIA argued that since it was a federal unit, it has the right to arrest and interrogate suspects.
Opposing the two men’s custody with Delhi Police, the NIA told the court that the Delhi Police Special Cell was a state unit and Waqas and Monu were wanted in the Dilsukhnagar case the national agency was investigating.
M.S. Khan, defence counsel of both the accused, asked what Delhi Police has done in the 10 days of custodial interrogation of the accused.
The Special Cell informed the court that it was trying to find out the whereabouts of suspected IM operative Riaz Bhatkal and sought extension of their custody of the accused in the 2011 illegal arms factory case.
It said the NIA cannot curtail the rights of the local police to investigate any case.
After hearing the submissions of both sides, the court allowed 13 days custody of the two operatives to Delhi Police to quiz them.
Meanwhile, the court also extended the police custody of three more accused arrested in the case for the next 13 days.
Waqas, arrested in March, is a Pakistani national and is allegedly involved in several terror attacks, including the serial blasts in Mumbai in July 2011. Tehsin was arrested by Delhi Police after Waqas’s arrest.
Tehsin, the Indian Mujahideen’s current chief of Indian operations, is an expert in making bombs.
The other accused in the case are Waqar Azhar, Mohammad Mahroof and Saquib Ansari.