SIMI activist arrested in Patna

Patna, Aug 5 (UNI) An activist of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) Ziauddin Ansari was arrested here today for interrogation in connection with the recent serial blasts in Mumbai.

Police Superintendent Kundan Krishnan said a Mumbai police team had tracked down Ansari at his residence in Nayatola area under Phulwarisharif police station.

Police said Ansari had been taken to Mumbai for further interrogation and no case was pending against him.

''The Patna police had extended logistic support in conducting the raid,'' said the team from Mumbai.

Meanwhile, an officer from the team D B Bajbankar disclosed that Ansari used to work with a mobile company at Mumbai. He futher said Ansari's movements and associations would be established soon after the interrogation was completed.

The preliminary interrogation was, however, held at the office of the SSP in the state capital.

Ansari was staying here for the past five months to look after his ailing parents and had no contact with any one in Mumbai, specially during the blasts, sources added.

He accepted he was an active SIMI member five years ago but had nothing to do with the organisation currently, police said.

However, Ansari has extended his full cooperation to the interrogating team and said that he was innocent, police disclosed.

Meanwhile an official source said that Ansari was arrested on an earlier occasion at the time when SIMI was banned.

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