2013 Mumbai blasts case: ATS seeks custody of IM explosives ‘supplier’, aide

Dr Afaque and Saboor were arrested by the Bangalore Central Crime Branch police on January 8 on the basis of intelligence inputs. Dr Afaque has been identified as allegedly being the main supplier of explosive material to Indian Mujahideen members since 2010.

Investigations into the Mumbai blasts have revealed that the bombings were carried out by IM members Asadullah Akhtar, Zia ur Rehman alias Waqas, Yasin Bhatkal and Tehseen Akhtar alias Monu, all of whom have been arrested. The explosives used in making the bombs are suspected to have been collected in Mangalore by Asadullah Akhtar.

Since his arrest on January 8, the alleged supplier of the explosives Dr Afaque told the police that he had sent his associate Saboor to hand over explosives to an unidentified person near a church in Mangalore. According to sources, Abdul Saboor later revealed during interrogation that he is unaware of the receiver’s identity. “There was a very well laid out plan where the operatives who collected or supplied the explosives would not know the identities of each other. This was done to insulate the operatives from being exposed in the event of any one in the chain being caught by the police,” sources said.

The police are now looking at obtaining custody of some of the jailed IM operatives involved in blasts since 2010 to bring them face-to-face with recently arrested men and attempt to identify persons who received and supplied explosives.