ATS picks up 3 more,summons Popular Front state chief

Patel is being questioned at the Pune ATS unit to find out if he was aware of the alleged meetings between Baig and Indian Mujahideen terrorists Mohsin Chowdhary and Yasin Bhatkal at the cyber cafe in January and February this year,before the Pune blast. Investigations had revealed that the suspects had assembled the explosives for the bakery blast at the cyber cafe between 1 am and 5 am on February 7.

The ATS has also picked up one Khurshid Alam who preaches at an Udgir mosque. Sources said Alam knew Baig and was being questioned to find out if he provided any logistical support to Baig. The sleuths are also questioning one Abdul Indori of Udgir.

Deputy commissioner of police (ATS) Ravindra Kadam,who is camping in Udgir,confirmed that Patel and Alam were being questioned. Kadam told Newsline that they had also summoned Sadiq Qureshi,the state president of radical outfit Popular Front of India (PFI). “Baig wanted a legal cover,for which he developed contacts with the PFI. He had also attended a PFI function in Pune in January. We have issued a notice to Qureshi. We will be questioning him,for sure.” The squad suspects Baig had formed sleeper cells in Marathwada,especially in Beed and Latur. Patel,Alam and Indori were in contact with Baig. Latur police sources said Patel called himself a social activist,but was known for his radical activities. However,they said Indori had parted ways with Baig after some dispute. The ATS had also questioned Syed Abdulah Khwaja,son of Udgir’s Municipal Council chief,as the BSNL broadband connection at the internet cafe was in his name.

Qureshi had,two days ago,issued a news release stating that the PFI had no links with Baig and the German Bakery blast. “If the ATS has any proof of Baig being a member of PFI,they should produce it,” he had stated.

The Pune police had arrested Qureshi in December 2009 for allegedly putting up inflammatory posters in Urdu ahead of the 17th anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition. The city police had,last month,arrested PFI state secretary Mohammed Sajid Qureshi and some of its members for allegedly putting up communal posters.