Maharashtra ATS again takes custody of 2 terror suspects arrested a week back

Initially, both were remanded in police custody. Subsequently, they were produced in court after their initial remand ended on September 20

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has again taken custody of the two terror suspects arrested a week back. A special court on Tuesday remanded Zakir Hussain Shaikh and Rizwan Momin to ATS custody till October 4.

The ATS arrested Shaikh on September 18 while Momin was arrested from his Mumbra home on September 19. (File photo)

The ATS arrested Shaikh on September 18 while Momin was arrested from his Mumbra home on September 19. Both have been booked under sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967.

Initially, both were remanded in police custody. Subsequently, they were produced in court after their initial remand ended on September 20, and on ATS’ request, they were sent to judicial custody for 14 days. On September 24, ATS filed an application in session court to get their police custody again.

During the course of the hearing on the plea on Monday, the ATS informed the court that they have got sufficient evidence to interrogate and confront the accused.

“We have scrutinised call data records of Shaikh and Momin and other documents seized during the raid at their residences in Jogeshwari and Mumbra respectively. We have learnt that few more people were in touch with them and the agency has been looking for them,” said an ATS officer.

The ATS has also been looking for one Fazlu Rehman Ubedu Rehman Khan alias Mujju, a resident of Kurla (West), as he was also in touch with Shaikh and Momin and allegedly associated with the Dawood Ibrahim gang or the D company.

Khan, police officers said, was arrested by the anti-extortion cell of the Mumbai crime branch in November last year for allegedly conspiring to kill a south Mumbai-based businessman at the behest of Fahim Machmach. Fahim, a close associate of Dawood’s younger brother Anees, is believed to have died in Pakistan last month.

The officer said after Fahim’s death, all his associates in Mumbai were in direct touch with Anees Ibrahim and Khan was one of them. “Khan has switched off his phone and has fled from Mumbai. The ATS and the crime branch have been looking for him,” said a senior Mumbai police officer.

Shaikh and Momin were arrested after the terror module was busted and Jaan Mohammad Shaikh alias Sameer Kaliya, along with five other suspects were arrested by Delhi Police’s special cell from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan on September 14. Shaikh got scared then fled his Jogeshwari house to Mumbra and stayed two days with Rizwan Momin, 40, in his residence in Kausa, Mumbra.

Both were arrested for suspected criminal conspiracy and committing terror acts. Momin was aware of the terror plan, destroyed Shaikh’s phone and threw it in the drain. The ATS has recovered it, added the officer.

ATS, in a statement, said that Zakir Shaikh was allegedly acting as per instructions of his foreign handler, Anthony aka Anwar aka Anas, but the agency has not revealed what the conspiracy was all about.