Delhi HC blast: 2nd accused remanded in NIA custody till October 7

The judge passed the order in an in-camera proceeding,which was attended only by the accused’s counsel Ravi Kazi,besides NIA investigators.

The court turned down Kazi’s opposition to NIA’s plea. The agency had produced Dev before court yesterday after bringing him from Kisthwar in Jammu and Kashmir,where he was arrested.

Dev’s co-accused Abid Hussain has already been remanded to NIA custody till October 5.

Hussain and Dev were brought to Delhi the day before yesterday following their arrest at Kishtwar. They had allegedly sent emails to media houses claiming responsibility for the blast on behalf of banned terror outfit Harkat ul-Jihad al-Islami.

Dev,during the in-camera proceedings,told the court that he would cooperate in the probe.

Later,Dev’s counsel told journalists he was arrested on September 16 at Kishtwar on the basis of a statement of co-accused Hussain.

The agency told the court that Dev was involved in sending emails to media houses,claiming responsibility for the blast on behalf of banned terror outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJI).

NIA could not secure the custody of Dev yesterday as his counsel was not present.

The agency,in its remand application,had said besides sending terror mails to media houses,Dev was one of the terrorists who had conducted the bomb blast between gate number 4 and 5 of the Delhi High Court.

Dev and Abid Hussain have been booked under various provisions of the IPC,the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosive Substances Act,dealing with conspiracy,murder,attempt to kill,causing hurt and using explosives.

Third accused Shariq Ahmed,who was also arrested in connection with the case,has so far not been produced in the court here.

Fifteen persons had died and over 90 received injuries in the blast outside the Delhi High Court on September 7.

Meanwhile,the third accused in the email episode,Shariq Ahmed,who is arrested in Kishtwar will remain in police custody for six more days by Principal District and Sessions Judge M L Manhas.

Shariq was left behind at Kishtwar by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probing the September 7 bomb blast outside Delhi high court.

The extended remand followed a request by the state police for further investigation.

Shariq,who was picked up by the police for questioning a day after the email was traced to a cyber café in Kishtwar,was formally arrested by police on September 13. Initially,he was remanded to police custody for seven days and it was later extended by another three days. However,this extended remand ended last evening.

The NIA left Shariq behind with Kishtwar cops but brought the two other teenagers Aamir Abbas Dev and Abid Hussain to Delhi for sustained questioning.

Kishtwar Senior Superintendent of Police,Bhim Sen Tuti,confirmed that Shariq was in their custody. While he refused to say anything more in the matter,sources said the police were waiting for a formal clearance from the NIA for Shariq’s custody.