Dr Ansari in custody till Aug 31 for Bandra train blast

Mumbai, Aug 17 (UNI) A local court today extended the police remand of suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba operative Dr Tanvir Ahmed Mohammed Ansari till August 31 in connection with the July 11 serial bomb blasts case.

The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has booked Ansari (33) for the Bandra train blast, one of the seven serial train blasts that rocked in the metropolis on July 11.

He was produced before Metropolitan Magistrate A M Garde, who extended his police remand till August 31.

Ansari's lawyer Amin Solkar argued in the court that it is one offence under the case of serial blasts, being investigated by one agency, therefore, the police custody of an accused cannot be extended beyond 15 days.

However, the court rejected his plea.

Dr Ansari, the former RMO (registered medical officer) with the Sabusiddique hospital in South Central Mumbai, was arrested by the ATS on July 23 for his alleged role in the bomb blasts' conspiracy.

He has been booked under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons), 147 (rioting) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Indian Explosives Act.

Ansari had allegedly provided local train time tables and location for planting explosives in the trains to the executors, and also given them shelter in Mumbai.

He was allegedly one of the active members of the banned SIMI (Students' Islamic Movement of India) and had also visited Pakistan and made a few calls in Nepal from his mobile phone prior to the blasts.

As many as 200 people were killed and more than 700 were injured in the July 11 serial bomb blasts.

UNI ST GK YA BD1828