To identify JMB man, NIA to seek forensic help

“In the searches conducted as part of Burdwan blast probe, video recording of a training session at Simulia madrasa was seized. When the video was shown to Rejaul, he said he had attended the session. A man can be seen in the edges of the frame, and Rejaul has said it was he who was standing in that position. We are sending the video to forensic imagery experts for digital enhancement to positively identify Rejaul from distinguishing features on his foot and palm seen in the frame,” said an NIA source.

“He (Rejaul) is a major catch, and had managed to evade arrest ever since the blast in Burdwan on October 2. Investigations have revealed that Abdul Hakim had called Rejaul after the explosion, urging him to evacuate the injured from the house. While he was in a nearby house, Rejaul chose to stay away as a crowd had gathered at the blast site within minutes. He has also identified around six JMB operatives who are also seen attending the session,” the source added.

The NIA had also found 9,000 files on a laptop seized during the probe and had sent emergency disclosure requests and preservation requests to US-based service providers for extracting contents of emails and chats. Rejaul was arrested by NIA on Sunday in a joint operation with Jharkhand police.

He was working as a labourer under a railway contractor and was hiding in Taljhari area of Sahebganj district.

A resident of Badshahi Road in Burdwan, he is alleged to be a close associate of wanted accused Kauser alias Bomaru Mizan and other main accused wanted in Burdwan blast case. A reward of Rs 5 lakh had been declared by NIA for information leading to his arrest. According to NIA, he was engaged in manufacturing and transporting bombs. Subsequent to the blast, as many as 39 similar bombs were allegedly recovered from Rejaul’s house.