Agency to question 13/7 accused in Delhi HC blast

The National Investigating Agency (NIA) was granted permission by the special MCOCA court on Friday to question the four 13/7 blasts accused, in connection with the blast outside the Delhi high court on September 7, 2011.

The National Investigating Agency (NIA) was granted permission by the special MCOCA court on Friday to question the four 13/7 blasts accused, in connection with the blast outside the Delhi high court on September 7, 2011.

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The NIA had, on April 4, moved an application before a magistrate court, Mazagaon centre, seeking permission to interrogate the accused persons arrested in 13/7 blast case. However, before the application came up for hearing, the ATS, that is investigating the case, invoked MCOCA against the four. The custody of the accused was transferred to the special MCOCA court.

"In light of the recent development, we withdrew the application filed before the magistrate court and filed a fresh plea before the special MCOCA court on Friday. The court, after hearing the application, allowed the NIA's plea," said Rohini Salian, special public prosecutor for NIA.

The four suspected Indian Mujahideen operatives, namely, Naquee Ahmed, Nadeem Shaikh, Kanwar Pathrija and Haroon Naik, were arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad in connection with three blasts that rocked Mumbai last July, killing 27 persons. In Delhi, an explosive-laden briefcase exploded on September 7, 2011 outside the high court, leaving 15 persons dead and 79 injured.

The agency claimed they had found some links in the two cases and wanted to verify the information by questioning the four accused. The court has allowed the agency to interrogate the accused for seven days.