Men held for terror plot were told to plan attack ‘like 1993 Mumbai blasts’

Police said the accused, Jaan Mohammed Shaikh alias Sameer Kaliya, is a close associate of Dawood’s brother Anees Ibrahim. “He was hired by a Pakistan-based person, Mohd Rehmudin, who is absconding and he connected with underworld operatives hiding in Pakistan to ensure delivery of IEDs, weapons and grenades to different places in India. He would call with the help of an app and was told by Anees, in a telephonic conversation, that he wanted him to execute a serial blast just like the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts,” a senior police officer said.

Special CP (Special Cell) Neeraj Thakur had said Tuesday, “We have arrested Jaan Mohammed Sheikh (47), a resident of Maharashtra; Osama alias Sami (22), a resident of Jamia Nagar; Moolchand alias Saaju (47),a resident of Rae Bareli; Zeeshan Qamar (28), resident of Allahabad; Mohd Abu Bakar (23), resident of Bahraich; and Mohd Amir Javed (31), a resident of Lucknow.”

During investigation, police claim to have found Jaan, Moolchand, Mohd Abu Bakar and Mohd Amir Javed working for D-company, with Jaan frequently being in touch with them. “We also came to know that they were in touch with another terror module, associated with the son of the nephew of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale,” said the officer.