‘Maulana held for ISI plot, not Haren murder’

The Crime Branch said today it had arrested Maulana Naseeruddin from Hyderabad on Sunday in the ISI conspiracy case and not in the Haren Pandya murder case being investigated by the CBI. The CBI has filed a charge-sheet in the Pandya case but the Maulana’s name does not figure in the charge-sheet. At a media conference today, Additional Commissioner (Crime) D.G. Vanjhara made it clear that Naseeruddin’s arrest had nothing to do with Haren Pandya case. Vanjhara, however, hinted that the CBI might also interrogate the Maulana.

Apprising mediapersons of Maulana’s activities, Vanjhara said ‘‘Maulana was earlier arrested under TADA after the Babri Masjib incident in Hyderabad and was infamous for his links with the Lashkar-E-Toiba (LeT). He was wanted here for his links with the LeT and motivating Muslim youth to join Jihad.

‘‘While the city crime branch team was taking Maulana Naseeruddin to the vehicles, they were attacked by a mob, who started pelting them with stones. Three officials were injured. There was no way out but to open fire, in which one person was killed,’’ he stated.

Meanwhile, Naseeruddin was produced before the designated POTA court and was remanded to seven days in police custody.