JeM terrorist Sajjad Khan held in Delhi

Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist Sajjad Khan, said to be a close associate of Pulwama suicide attack mastermind Mudassir Ahmed Khan, was arrested near the Red Fort while disguised as a shawl trader, police said on Friday.

Following a tip off, Khan was caught on Thursday night, the officer said, adding that he was in close contact with Ahmed Khan, who was eliminated by the Indian Army earlier this month.

A Delhi court on Friday sent Khan to NIA custody till March 29.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said they needed to unearth the conspiracy behind the February 14 attack in Pulwama that killed 40 CRPF troopers.

During the in-chamber proceedings, Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Syal allowed the NIA to quiz the 27-year-old Khan.

The NIA questioned Khan for half hour in the court and then sought his custodial interrogation.

Khan's defence counsel M.S. Khan opposed the plea but following the court's order Delhi Police handed over his custody to the NIA.

The Special Cell of Delhi Police got a tip last week that Sajjid Khan was hiding in Delhi before the Pulwama attack.

He had selected specific targets and was in the process of recruiting Muslim youths of Uttar Pradesh to establish sleeper cells, Deputy Commissioner of Police P.S. Kushwah told IANS.

"He was planning to give them weapons training. He was also raising funds and collecting weapons," he added.

Sajjid and his two siblings were initially engaged in stone pelting incidents in the Kashmir Valley. His brother Ishfaq was arrested in February 2015 under the Public Safety Act for stone pelting, the officer said.

--IANS

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