The arrest of one of the founders of terror outfit Indian Mujahideen(IM),Yasin Bhatkal,can throw more light on the German Bakery blast case and the conspiracy to bomb the Dagdusheth Halwai Ganesh Temple,both on February 13,2010. Yasin is the common link in both cases and could tell in detail the role played by suspects,both arrested and absconding. According to the ATS,Yasin had accompanied Mirza Himayat Baig of Beed from Udgir to Pune to carry out the German Bakery blast,in which 17 people were killed and 17 others injured. The ATS arrested Baig and in April,Additional Session Judge N P Dhote of Pune Court awarded him death sentence. The investigators had claimed that Yasin had assembled the bombs that another IM operative Qateel Siddiqui used in his attempt to blow up the Dagdusheth Halwai Ganesh Temple. He had backed off due to heavy police presence and also because a flower vendor had asked Siddiqui to take his bag that reportedly had explosives along with him. The ATS chargesheet says that Yasin and Mohsin had met Baig in Udgir in January 2010 to finalise the plan to bomb German Bakery. Baig allegedly did a recce of the area on January 31,2010. Then Yasin and Moshin again went to Udgir and held a meeting with Baig in the first week of February,2010. Both of them assembled the bomb made of RDX with the help of Baig at the Global Internet Cafe at Udgir between 1 am and 5 pm on February 7. On February 13,2010,Baig and Yasin carried the bomb in a private vehicle from Udgir to Latur and in a state transport bus from Latur to Pune. They hired an auto from Poolgate bus stand to Pune Railway Station and hired another auto to the Central Mall. Yasin planted the bomb in a haversack at the bakery around 5 pm and triggered it with the help of a mobile triggering device at 6.50 pm, the chargesheet stated. Investigators believe that Yasins interrogation may give information on the process of acquiring explosive material,including RDX. Meanwhile,Baigs counsel,advocate Mehmood Pracha,said Yasins arrest might also help in exposing the looholes in the investigation done so far. Baig has denied that he has any links with other absconding and arrested suspects in the case. Yasin is alleged to be a mastermind in the bakery blast and the temple attack attempt on the same day. We hope that the arrest of so called Yasin Bhatkal will give way for re-investigation of these cases. We hope it will expose many things and bring out the names of real culprits, Pracha said. NIA sources said Yasin can provide info on Baigs role and the link between top IM and LeT operatives,who had joined hands to execute blasts. More clues are also likely on other IM founders Riyaz and Iqbal Bhatkal,IM operative Mohsin Chowdhary of Kondhwa,Pune,and Fayyaz Kagzi,all wanted in German Bakery blast case. One more accused,Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal,a key LeT operative,was arrested in June 2012 in thr 26/11 attack case.
