Suspected IM member seeks bail

One of the alleged members of the Indian Mujahideen,Mohammad Atik Mohammad Iqbal,on Thursday moved an application seeking bail. Iqbal,who was employed with an information technology major at the time of his arrest,has contended that he was falsely implicated in the crime and had no role to play in the terror strikes that took place in Gujarat and Delhi.

Iqbal,who has been in custody since September 2008,has stated in his application that there is no direct evidence to implicate him in the case. Iqbal moved his bail application through his lawyer Farhana Shah. He claimed that all the recoveries mentioned in the panchnama by the Crime Branch were falsely planted and his confession statement was taken under duress. Another accused Ansar Ahmed Badshah Shaikh also moved an application for discharge from the case. Shaikh claimed that the chargesheet has not mentioned his direct involvement in the case. Shaikh had allegedly aided prime accused Afzal Usmani to steal cars from Navi Mumbai to be used in serial bomb blasts at Surat.