LeT suspects' police custody extended till Jan 3

A court here Saturday sent two suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operatives to police custody till Jan 3 after police said that they are required for questioning to trace other accused.

Allowing the police plea, Additional Sessions Judge Daya Prakash handed over the custody of the Hafeez Rashid and Mohammad Shahid to police till Jan 3.

Rashid, 30, was arrested from Nuh district in Haryana Monday night. His name surfaced after police interrogated Mohammad Shahid, another LeT suspect arrested by a special cell of Delhi Police Dec 9 from Choti Mewli village in the district. Both were imams of a village mosque.

The two were produced before the court after expiry of their police custody.

Police told court that both of the accused were planning to carry out terror strikes. During investigation, it was revealed that duo were in touch with Pakistan-based LeT commander Javed Baluchi through mobile phones.

To unearth the entire conspiracy, police sought extension of their custody by 13 days for questioning.

However, accused's counsel M. S. Khan opposed the plea.

A police officer has said Rashid was providing logistics to Shahid to prepare for a terror attack in north India.

Police has booked them under various charges dealing with criminal conspiracy and terrorism.