The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : SIT may seek Imran's custody in explosives seizure case

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 15, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

SIT may seek Imran's custody in explosives seizure case

K.T. Sangameswaran

"His whereabouts during the period he was absconding needs to be looked into"

CHENNAI: The Special Investigation Team of the CB CID plans to seek custody of Mohammed Imran, arrested in Tiruchi on August 6, in connection with an explosives seizure case registered four years ago.

Though the designs of the Muslim Defence Force (MDF), to which Imran belongs, were nipped in the bud by the police, his whereabouts during the period he was absconding needs to be looked into, says a senior police officer.

Imran is also wanted in connection with a case pertaining to the seizure of eight kg low-grade explosives from two persons at Mallipatnam in Thanjavur district in 2002. He had given it to them for safe custody. The origin of the explosives has to be investigated, point out police sources.

The case initially registered by the Kodungaiyur police pertains to the seizure of explosives near the Rajaratnam bridge in 2002. One of the 20 persons arrested was a relative of Imam Ali. It was transferred to the SIT.

The MDF was founded by Abu Hamsa of Hyderabad and Abu Omar, a Pakistani, both allegedly linked to the Lashkar-e-Taiba. The hand of Hamsa was strongly suspected in attacks on temples in Hyderabad. The organisation in Tamil Nadu was short-lived. Toufeeq of Thanjavur and Zackaria of Chennai were among its leaders.

According to the police, Imran who went to work in a hospital in Saudi Arabia a few years ago, returned later. His whereabouts were not known after he came back. The information police have is that he did not stay in a place for more than five to 10 days.

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