LeT member sent to police custody in Delhi terror plot case

An alleged member of banned Lashkar-e-Toiba, serving life term in Kolkata for his role in the 2001 Partha Roy Burman kidnapping case, has been remanded in police custody till August 2 by a Delhi court in connection with a case of conspiracy to carry out terror attacks here.
District Judge I S Mehta allowed the plea of Special Cell of Delhi Police seeking six days' custodial interrogation of Asahbuddin alias Shaukat, who was produced in court from Kolkata Jail after a production warrant had been issued against him.
The police arrested Asahbuddin in connection with a case of conspiracy of LeT to kidnap a businessman or industrialist to generate funds for buying weapons and explosives to carry out terror attacks in the national capital.

The police told the court that earlier a charge sheet was filed against arrested accused Mohd Rashid and Mohd Shahid on May 8 this year and they were charged for offences of criminal conspiracy under the IPC and under the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the case.
It said that later on during the probe, absconding accused Abul Subhan was arrested on July 20 and he disclosed that he had contacted his nephew Asahbuddin, who was lodged in Kolkata Jail, for safe transfer of money through hawala route and also about financing of weapons from across the border through LeT network.

"Asahbuddin and one Arshad (a Pakistani terrorist lodged in Kolkata Jail) referred Abdul Subhan to their old terror comrade Javed Baluchi (who is still absconding), an important Lashkar commander based in Pakistan who also oversees the finances for his Tanzeem.

"After connecting Abdul Subhan with Javed Baluchi, the remaining action plan was to be discussed," it said, adding, Asahbuddin was required to be confronted with Subhan, who is also in police custody till August 2.
During the arguments, advocate M S Khan, who appeared for Asahbuddin, opposed the plea filed by police contending that his client was falsely implicated in the case and there was no evidence to connect him with it.

The judge, however, allowed the police's plea saying, "I am satisfied that accused (Asahbuddin) is required for custodial interrogation.