Trial in Aurangabad arms haul case begins

The special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court today began trial in the 2006 Aurangabad arms haul case in which key 26/11 handler Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal is among the 22 accused.
The owner of the car which was used to transport the arms deposed in the court today and identified the accused Azeem Shaikh who had allegedly sought his car for personal use.
The witness told the court that Azeem had requested him for his car to be taken to Mumbai and also promised to return in two days. However, Azeem did not come back and he later learnt that the car was used for transporting arms and weapons.
Maharashtra ATS team had chased a Tata Sumo and an Indica car on Chandwad-Manmad highway near Aurangabad, arrested three terror suspects and seized 30 kg RDX, 10 AK-47 assault rifles and 3,200 bullets on May 8, 2006.
The Indica was allegedly driven by Jundal, who managed to give police the slip at that time. Hailing from Beed district of Maharashtra, Jundal then allegedly drove to Malegaon and handed over the vehicle to an acquaintance.