Odisha Police begin interrogating SIMI operatives

The Odisha Police on Thursday started interrogating the five suspected terrorists of the banned outfit Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) after taking them on a 13-day remand.

The Rourkela Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) court on Thursday allowed the Special Task Force of Odisha Crime Branch to take the SIMI members on 13 days remand against the 30 days sought by police.

Along with the STF, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and police from other states will interrogate the five arrested persons to unearth information about their terrorist activities across the country, said DGP K.B. Singh.

Singh said the terrorists will be brought to Bhubaneswar for interrogation.

Special Director General (Crime Branch) B.K. Sharma said they will be quizzed about their terror module and activities in and outside the state.

"A sustained interrogation of the accused is required for comprehensive investigation into the criminal activities in the state and across the country. We would interrogate them about their terror activities, local links, associates and their purpose of staying in Odisha," said Sharma.

He also said that other agencies of different states have already arrived to interrogate them relating to crimes in their states.

An eight-member team led by Crime Branch Special Task Force IG Arun Bothra reached Rourkela and started their interrogation.

Meanwhile, an insurance agent Naveen Sahu who had helped the five arrested SIMI operatives to prepare forged documents to get fake identities, was arrested on Thursday.

A joint team of Special Operations Group (SOG), Telangana Police, Odisha Police and Intelligence Bureau had on Wednesday arrested Mehboob Khan alias Guddu, Zakhir Khan alias Sadiq, Amjad Khan alias Dawood, Saliq alias Sallu and Najma (Mehboob's mother) from a rented house in Rourkela.

Police also cordoned off a house rented by Zakhir in Nangamahal area of Bhadrak district in the state a few months back.