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Maharashtra ATS takes over probe as cops claim arrested suspects were working on ‘terror plot’
On July 18, the Kothrud police arrested Mohammad Imran Mohammad Yunus Khan and Mohammad Yunus Mohammad Yakub Saki hailing from Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh (MP) during night patrolling
PUNE The two persons wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and arrested by Pune police on July 18 were allegedly working on “larger terror plot”, a top officer monitoring the investigation claimed amid Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) taking over the probe on Saturday.
On July 18, the Kothrud police arrested Mohammad Imran Mohammad Yunus Khan and Mohammad Yunus Mohammad Yakub Saki hailing from Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh (MP) during night patrolling.
The third suspect, staying with them at a flat in Kondhwa has been identified as Mohammed Shahnawaz Shafiurrehman Alam.
Police probe found that the rented flat was occupied by three individuals who were allegedly linked to ISIS inspired organisation Sufa under radar of NIA for their alleged involvement in allegedly hatching a bomb blast conspiracy in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Hours before the case was taken over by ATS, senior police officer requesting anonymity said, “During investigation it was found that two arrested suspects are experts in bomb making and one of them was expert in property offences. As per initial investigation it seemed that they were possibly preparing for a larger terror plot.”
The unnamed officer quoted above further said, the duo chose Kothrud to steal the bike, “As the area is almost 18 km from their residence and they thought that they can easily do it without much hurdle.”
According to the officer, after preliminary investigation, the probe has been handed over the case to ATS for further investigation.
“As a part of procedure, we have handed over the case to Maharashtra ATS. At this stage I can’t comment on the case,” said Retesh Kumaarr, Pune city police commissioner.
According to police, on Tuesday night, when a team of Kothrud police were patrolling, they found suspicious activities by three people near Badhai Sweet Chowk. When police intercepted them, suspects gave wrong information including personal details.
For further investigation, police brought them to the police station and decided to conduct a search at the Kondhwa flat.
When a team of police personnel reached their flat at Kondhwa the suspects tried to escape and a police team managed to nab two suspects while the third fled away.
A team of police personnel including Nazan Amol, Bala Rafiq Sheikh, Amol Nazan, P Panchal, Aniket Jamdade, PSI Pravin Kulkarni and Vaibhav Sheetkal were present during the search operation.
Suhail Sharma, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) zone 3, said, “While checking their laptops, we found some documents in which information on ‘how to make bombs’ were elaborated in a phase-wise manner.”
According to Sharma, police have also collected some “religious provocative speeches” from the laptops and hand written materials from their flat.
Police officials said, this clearly indicates that these accused were not normal property offenders but likely to be part of a larger terrorist network. Considering the situation, senior police officers Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra ATS officials have been roped in.
Pune police said, they have unearthed these deadly terrorist networks because of interagency coordination between Pune city Police, Maharashtra ATS, Madhya Pradesh ATS and NIA.
This interagency coordination helps to avoid major future mishap which may create challenges to national security.
A team of police personnel including Nazan Amol, Bala Rafiq Sheikh, Amol Nazan, P Panchal,Aniket Jamdade, PSI Pravin Kulkarni,Vaibhav Sheetkal along with accused went for house search. At that time suspects tried to escape and a police team managed to nab two suspects while Alam ran away. During chasing police personnel sustained injuries.
