Chaudhary played key role in Samjhauta blast case: NIA

Pehalwan, in his mid-30s, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday night from Nagda, 50 km from Ujjain, where he was living under an assumed name. He was produced before a NIA designated court at Panchkula in Haryana this afternoon.

Special Judge, NIA, Kanchan Mahi gave the investigating agency Pehalwan's remand till December 28 after it had sought his custody for a fortnight.

Amid high drama while being taken inside the Court, Pehalwan claimed before a group of mediapersons his involvement in planting the explosives, but after the court hearing ended, he retracted and told the journalists he had been taken into custody "under a conspiracy."

A huge explosion had occurred in Samjhauta Express near Panipat in Haryana on February 18, 2007 and the subsequent fire in the coaches had resulted in the loss of 68 lives and injuries to 12 train passengers, including women and children.

"As soon as Pehalwan was produced, the defence counsel moved an application that they be allowed to meet him. The court allow the defence counsels and the accused's father to meet him for five minutes," NIA Special Public Prosecutor, R K Handa told reporters at the end of the in-camera proceedings.

The NIA apprised the Court that the accused after his arrest was produced before a court in Ujjain and brought on transit remand to Panchkula, where again he was got medically examined today.

"We submitted before the Court that the accused played a key role in plantation of IED in the compartments in Samjhauta. He along with co-accused Kamal Chauhan recced the area around the Jama Masjid and the Old Delhi Railway Station in Delhi.

Pehalwan was also instrumental in preparation and procuring the (explosive) devices. He was part and parcel of training in explosives in Karni Range in Faridabad and in Devas in M.P.," Handa said.

He said NIA sought 15-day remand "to cross-check and interrogate the accused and to unearth the entire conspiracy."