Production warrants against Bhatkal, two others

A court here Tuesday issued a production warrant against Indian Mujahideen (IM) co-founder Yasin Bhatkal and three others for planning terror strikes in India.

Issuing the warrant against Bhatkal, his associate Asadullah Akhtar and one more accused, District Judge I.S. Mehta at Patiala House court fixed April 2 for further hearing.

Bhatkal and Akhtar are presently in the custody of Maharashtra Police and being quizzed for their alleged role in a terror case there. The third, Obaid-ur-Rehman, is in the custody of Karnataka Police.

The NIA last month charge sheeted Bhatkal, Akhtar, Manzar Imam and U.Ahmed for their alleged role in the conspiracy and commission of major terrorist attacks at different parts in the country.

It was the second charge sheet filed in the case, registered on Sep 10, 2012 against members of IM for carrying out terrorist activities and conspiracy for waging war against the country.

The NIA said that Bhatkal with other IM operatives were allegedly involved in major bomb blast incidents - in Hyderabad (2007), Jaipur (2008), Delhi (2008), Ahmedabad and Surat (2008), German Bakery in Pune (2010), Chinnaswami Stadium, Bangalore (2010), Jama Masjid in Delhi (2010), Sheetlaghat (2010), Mumbai (2011) and Dilsukhnagar in Hyderabad (2013).

In July 2013, the NIA had charge sheeted five cadres of IM - Mohammad Danish Ansari, Mohammad Aftab Alam, Imran Khan, Syed Maqbool and Obaid-ur-Rehman - under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code for conspiracy to commit offences against the state.