Burdwan blast: Key conspirator remanded to NIA custody

A city court Tuesday sent Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) militant Amjad Sheikh, a key conspirator in the Oct 2 Burdwan blast, to NIA custody till Nov 20.

Presented before the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md. Mumtaz Khan amid heavy security, Sheikh, part of JMB's top brass in India, was sent to National Investigation Agency's custody, a day after he was nabbed by the agency Monday from West Bengal's Birbhum district.

The accidental blast in Khagragarh in Burdwan killed two JMB militants and injured another. Several people have been arrested and taken into custody in this connection.

Sheikh, who was arrested two days after JMB commander and the blast mastermind Sajid was nabbed by NIA, was instrumental in procuring explosives for making the improvised explosive devices.

Absconding after the Burdwan blast, Sheikh allegedly was hiding in UP before his eventual arrest from Bengal.

Sheikh was also closely associated with the top JMB commanders who were running Jehadi training modules in two madarsas in Burdwan and carried a reward of Rs.10 lakh on his head from the NIA.