Maharashtra ATS arrests second terror suspect from Mumbra

Maharashtra ATS swung into action after the Delhi Police’s Special Cell on September 14 busted a terror module.

The Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS) on Sunday arrested second terror suspect Rizwan Momin from Mumbra in connection with a suspected criminal conspiracy, purportedly hatched by Zakir Hussain Shaikh to commit terrorist acts.

The ATS on Monday produced both the accused before a special court. (File photo)

Zakir, a Jogeshwari resident who was arrested by the ATS on Saturday, was allegedly acting as per instructions of his foreign handler, Anthony aka Anwar aka Anas, the ATS said in a statement. The agency has, however, not revealed what the conspiracy was all about.

Maharashtra ATS swung into action after the Delhi Police’s Special Cell on September 14 busted a terror module by arresting six persons, including Mumbai resident, Japan Mohammed Shaikh.

On September 17, ATS registered an offence under section 17 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 against 52-year-old Zakir and Anthony aka Anwar aka Anas, and a lookout circular was issued for arresting Zakir, who came to be arrested the next day.

During the course of interrogation, Zakir revealed that he was receiving instructions from his foreign handlers and that Momin too was involved in his nefarious activities. The ATS then arrested Momin and seized some incriminating material from his residence.

ATS further claimed in the statement that Zakir had given his mobile handset to Momin and the 40-year-old Mumbra resident had broken Zakir’s mobile handset into three pieces and dumped it in a drain near his residence, with an intention to dispose it off. The ATS claimed to have recovered the broken pieces.

The ATS on Monday produced both Zakir and Momin before a special court but did not seek their custody. The court then remanded both to judicial custody.

On September 14, Delhi Police’s Special Cell and Uttar Pradesh Anti-terrorism Squad in a joint operation arrested six terror suspects allegedly backed by Pakistan.

The six men were arrested from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, and were identified as Jaan Mohammad Shaikh (47), Osama alias Sami (22), Moolchand Srivastav alias Saaju (47), Zeeshan Qamar (28), Mohamed Abu Bakr (23), and Mohammed Amir Javed (31). Police claimed to have seized 1.7kg RDX from Zeeshan’s house in Kareli, Allahabad, and a live improvised explosive device (IED) was found in Prayagraj and defused.

The Delhi Police had said that the plot was to carry out terror strikes in Delhi, UP and Maharashtra during the festival season for which ISI had instructed Zeeshan and Osama to survey locations to plant IEDs.

Police had also said that Anees Ibrahim, brother of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, was connected to this module and was tasked to smuggle arms and ammunition into India.