IM operatives Akhtar, Waqas sent to NIA custody till May 23

A Delhi court today extended till May 23 the NIA custody of suspected Indian Mujahideen (IM) men Tehsin Akhtar and Zia-Ur-Rahman alias Waqas after the agency said they were required to be interrogated further to unearth the larger conspiracy of the banned terror outfit.
Akhtar and Waqas were produced before District Judge I S Mehta during an in-chamber proceeding after expiry of their police custody and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) told the court that the duo was to be taken to different places in the country to know about their hideouts.
"During the examination in police custody, accused persons have disclosed about several hideouts used by them since they joined IM and have also disclosed about various e-mail/chat account addresses used by them for communicating with other IM operatives. All these need to be verified....," NIA said.

Advocate M S Khan, who appeared for both Akhtar and Waqas, opposed NIA's plea seeking extension of their remand for 15 days, saying the agency has already interrogated his clients and there was no evidence to connect them in the case.
The court, however, allowed the plea and remanded both the accused in NIA custody till May 23.
NIA had earlier claimed in the court that Akhtar and Waqas have "exclusive knowledge" about the plans of IM to carry out terror attacks in the country in future.
It had also said that IM Indian chief Yasin Bhatkal, his aide Asadullah Akhtar and seven other suspected members of IM have already been chargesheeted in the case relating to larger conspiracy of the terror outfit to carry out strikes in India.