Imran religious,not radical: Dad

His 31-year-old son had left home on September 4,saying he would return on the 29th. After trying to locate him at the homes of all the familys friends and relatives,Pathan went to Nandeds Airport police station on Thursday to file a complaint.

Delhi Police picked up Imran and another man,Asad,from a flat in Pul Prahladpur in the capital on September 26. At a press conference on Thursday,the police identified them as being part of an Indian Mujahideen terror module that had carried out the August 1 serial bombings in Pune.

I never expected to find him like this, Pathan said on Friday.

Imran lived with his family and parents,but he had business interests in Aurangabad,where he was a real estate broker and partner in Rehmaniya Tours and Travels,belonging to Asad Khan,the man who was arrested with him.

He had rented an apartment in Aurangabad,where he stayed on the days he worked there. He was introduced to Asad by a childhood friend called Irfan Mohammed Mustafa,who is Asads brother-in-law,the family said. Irfan is missing.

Imrans family on Friday denied allegations that his visit to Saudi Arabia in 2008 allowed him to establish links with Lashkar-e-Toibas Fayyaz Ahmed Kagzi and the Bhatkal brothers,alleged founders of the IM.

He hasnt been anywhere other than Nanded,Aurangabad and Saudi Arabia. He always kept us informed about his movements, said one of Imrans brothers who declined to be named.

Wajid Khan Pathan said his son kept to himself. He was pious,but not to the extent that he would hurt anyone for religion. There was no reason or occasion for him to be in Delhi, he said.

Imrans three brothers,one of whom is an advocate,another a professor and the third a marketing professional,have returned home to be with their parents after the news about Imran broke. Their mother is paralyzed waist downward.

Since Thursday,officers of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad have been visiting the familys home,located close to Nanded airport and the local Masjid-e-Saale Hind at Pirburhan. We have cooperated with them and given them all details, Pathan said.

But the father refuses to believe his open minded son,who did not want much from life,could be a terrorist. I will not believe this, he said.

I am his father. He was religious and was a namaazi but not a fundamentalist. His friends are mostly Hindus,and he studied in a Marathi medium school. He cant even read or write Urdu or Arabic. And he has very relaxed views on religion.

Imrans friend Manoj Boinmwad 27,said the best cricketer from Nanded was everyones dost. It is totally unbelievable. I have been getting calls from our villagers and friends. Most of them are Hindus. They refuse to believe this. Imran was one of ours too, he said.