Jama Masjid case: Bhatkal sent to seven days police custody

A court here Friday sent Indian Mujahideen (IM) co-founder Yasin Bhatkal and his aide to seven days police custody in connection with September 2010 Jama Masjid terror attack case.

Additional Sessions Judge Daya Prakash allowed Delhi Police's plea seeking custodial interrogation of Bhatkal and his close aide Asadullah Akhtar, both accused in the case which came days before the Commonwealth Games here.

Police told the court that two accused are required for questioning for their alleged involvement in the case in which police found a pressure cooker bomb planted in a car. However, the blast had not taken place due to some circuit problems in the bomb.

Police said that on Sep 19, 2010, two bikers had fired upon tourists at the gate of Jama Masjid in old Delhi area and two Taiwanese had sustained bullet injuries while the bomb had also been placed to go off in the area.

Defence counsel M.S. Khan opposed the police plea seeking custodial interrogation, noting his clients had been in custody for quite a long time. In the name of national security, remand should not be granted further as both of the accused had nothing more to disclose, he added.

The accused were produced before court after expiry of their police custody in connection with Sep 13, 2008 Delhi serial blasts case.