Asif remanded to police custody till October 13

Mumbai, Oct 4 (UNI) A Special MCOCA court here remanded proclaimed offender and key conspirator in July 11 serial train blasts to police custody till October 13.

Asif was arrested yesterday from Belgaum near Karnataka border by the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) investigating the blasts case.

Moving a remand application in the court of MCOCA judge judge Mridula Bhatkar, Special Public Prosecutor Raja Thackare told the court that accused Asif Khan Basir Khan was an proclaimed offender in Jalgaon blast case in the year 2001.

ATS official sources said he was wanted in three or four other blast cases since 2001. The Jalgaon police had put a reward of Rs 25,000 on his head.

Accused Asif, hailing from Jalgaon, had allegedly undergone bomb manufacturing training in Pakistan and thereafter he was involved in preparing bombs for a terrorist group here.

Police believed it is a big achievement for them because he has allegedly manufactured the bomb and supplied it to the planters.

With the arrest of Asif, a total of arrested accused persons has gone to 16. He is one of the wanted accused among the three absconding persons.

Among the 16 arrested persons, the investigating agency has already applied stringnent MCOCA (Maharashtra Control for Organised Crime Act) against six persons recently.

Around 173 persons died and more than 400 were injured in the serial blasts in seven trains on July 11.

UNI ST MJ VD HS1612