Bengal man held with cannabis remanded to custody

A West Bengal court on Monday remanded Abdul Baki Mandal, arrested for possessing cannabis, to police custody for 10 days.

Mandal, who is alleged to have links with Pakistan-based terror outfits, was on Sunday arrested from Barasat in North 24 Parganas district with 29 kg of ganja (cannabis).

He was presented before a court in Barasat which remanded him to police custody for 10 days.

"He is part of a racket involved in smuggling drugs. His interrogation is likely to yield information about the gang that is why we had prayed for his police custody which was granted," said a public prosecutor.

Incidentally, Mandal in 2009 was convicted by a Delhi court under Unlawful Activity (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for his role in the 2005 'fidayeen attack' at Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya in which five militants were gunned down by the security forces.

Mandal, a resident of Barasat, was alleged to have ferried the militants involved in the attack from Bangladesh.

However, the Delhi High Court in 2012 set aside his conviction and acquitted him of all the charges.

In the wake of the recent terror attacks in Bangladesh, police say Mandal's interrogation could reveal significant information.

--IANS

and/pgh/dg