CBI invokes POTA against all accused of Pandya murder

CBI today invoked POTA against all the 12 accused arrested so far in the killing of former Gujarat minister Haren Pandya.

These, apart from sharp shooter Asghar Ali, include Mohammad Abdul Rauf, Mohammad Abdul Bari, Mohammad Saifuddin and Sayyed Iftikhar — all arrested from Hyderabad, ISI agents Mohammad Pervez Sheikh, Rehan Abdul Majid Punthawala, Mohammad Riaz alias Goru and Mohammad Yunus Sareswala — arrested by Crime Branch from Parimal Garden area, and locals Kaleem Ahmed alias Mulla Kaleem, Anas Machiswala and Shahnawaz Gandhi.

Moving an application for invoking POTA before the metropolitan court, the CBI submitted that Pandya’s killing was an action designed to create terror in the minds of the people, post-Godhra.

Investigating officer S.K. Gupta told the court that interrogation of the accused have revealed that a bigger conspiracy was being hatched to create terror in the city.