Not arrested in India: says LeT bomb expert Tunda

Top Lashkar-e-Taiba bomb expert Abdul Karim Tunda today claimed in a court here that he was not arrested in India but was "picked up" from Nepal by Delhi Police and sought a direction to police to furnish details of cases pending against him.

Tunda was one of the 20 terrorists India had asked Pakistan to hand over after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

72-year-old Tunda, who was arrested allegedly from Indo- Nepal border on August 16 last year by the special cell of Delhi Police, said that "in fact, he was picked up from Nepal and brought to India" by the cops.

In his plea filed through advocate M S Khan, Tunda also said that the police should be directed to furnish the details of the cases pending against him.

He said it has been alleged that he was involved in more than 20 terror attack cases between 1994 and 1998 in Delhi and other states but till date, he has been arrested by Delhi Police in only four cases.

Tunda said that it was not known if there are more pending cases as alleged against him and that "accused has a right to know and to seek trial or avail legal remedies available to him."

"It is, therefore, most respectfully and in the interest of justice prayed that direction may kindly be issued to the SHO special cell to furnish the details of the remaining cases pending against the applicant/accused and to arrest him, if required," the plea said.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Amit Bansal issued notice to the police seeking its response on Tunda's plea and fixed the matter for January 10.

Meanwhile, Additional Sessions Judge Daya Prakash today fixed January 18 for hearing arguments on framing of charges in 1997 Sadar Bazar blasts case in which a charge sheet was recently filed against Tunda by the special cell.