ATS gets custody of Chaudhary, Sheikh to probe Jogeshwari blast

Mumbai, Aug 3 (UNI) A local court today permitted the Anti Terrorist Squad to take the custody of Mumtaz Chaudhary and Mohammed Khalil Sheikh, arrested in connection with the 7/11 serial blasts in the metropolis, till August 16.

Mohammed Kamal Ansari, a third person arrested in connection with the blasts, was however remanded in judicial custody.

The ATS moved a remand application before additional chief metropolitan magistrate A M Garde today seeking the custody of Chaudhary and Sheikh in order to investigate their involvement in the blast at the Jogeshwari railway station which was one among the seven places where blasts were triggered on July 11.

The judge remanded Chaudhary and Sheikh in ATS custody till August 16 while remanding Ansari in judicial custody till August 17.

Ansari and Sheikh were arrested from Bihar on July 20 by the ATS with the help of local police. Initially, they were booked for their alleged involvement in the Matunga blast, another among the seven blasts, and now they have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the Jogeshwari blast.

The three are suspected to have direct or indirect links with ultra groups in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. The ATS sleuths had seized 1.5 kg of certain black powder from the possession of Ansari and Sheikh.

The July 11 serial blasts in local trains in the metropolis had claimed around 200 lives and left over 700 injured.

UNI ST MAZ PR RS1737