Top IM operatives' police custody extended

A court here Friday extended the police custody of top Indian Mujahideen suspects Tehsin Akhtar alias Monu and Pakistani national Waqas alias Zia-ur-Rehman by seven days.

The suspects have been booked for carrying out terror strikes in India.

According to sources, National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Judge I.S. Mehta allowed the Agency to quiz the suspects till May 23, the proceedings to be held in camera.

The NIA has said detailed custodial examination of the accused was essential to extract more information from them and collect more material evidence to establish their role beyond doubt in the terror strikes and also to apprehend the other accused.

The investigating agency claimed the accused were involved in a deep-rooted conspiracy and executed bomb blasts in various parts of India, including Varanasi's Sheetla Ghat in 2010, Mumbai in 2011 and Dilsukhnagar in 2013.

However, defence counsel of both the accused M.S. Khan opposed the NIA's plea, saying further custodial interrogation of his clients is not required as they were in the custody of the agency for the past 10 days.