Crime branch hunts for masterminds of violence

The Mumbai police crime branch is trying to identify the possible conspirators who planned the Azad Maidan on violence August 11 and provided logistics such as fuel oil, rods, knives, and money.

The Mumbai police crime branch is trying to identify the possible conspirators who planned the Azad Maidan on violence August 11 and provided logistics such as fuel oil, rods, knives, and money.

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Sources in the crime branch said after questioning the arrested accused they had found that at least three meetings were held in Jogeshwari and Antop Hill where they perpetrators planned the violence.

The police have invoked a host of sections, except conspiracy, against the accused. “Our investigations are yet to be completed. Only when we have proper evidence will we think of applying the section,” a senior crime branch officer said.

Of the 58 arrested in the case, five have been discharged as the crime branch did not have evidence against them.

The 53 held include the two accused who desecrated the Amar Jawan Jyoti memorial and the man who stole the police self-loading rifle.

The Mumbai crime branch is now on the lookout for nearly 40 more accused.

A senior crime branch official said they had identified the faces of nearly 25 accused with the help of the CCTV footage they had collated.

Officials said the ones whose faces are clearly identified have been classified in the A category, while those with side profile are in B, and people’s whose faces are not clear are in the C category.