Mumbai court extends police custody of terror suspects

Mumbai, Mar 26 (ANI): The Mazgaon Metropolitan Magistrate on Friday extended the police custody of two arrested terror suspects Abdul Latif Rashid and Riyaz Ali Imtiaz till April 1.

The Mumbai Anti Terror Squad (ATS) has sought the custody of terror suspect to ascertain some more information.

Magistrate B S Chavan accepted the ATS request and sent terror suspect to further police custody.

On March 13, the ATS arrested both Rashid and Imtiaz for allegedly planning to carry out terror attacks in major Indian cities.

"Today, ATS produced them in the court and they wanted more time for further enquiry. They requested more time from the court. And we also presented our defence before the court that they are being trapped," said Ram Dayal Chauhan, their defence counsel.

"After hearing both sides, the court extended their custody to April 1. We said that they are innocent and there is no involvement in this matter," he added.

Earlier, the ATS had revealed that both terror suspects were in touch with a person in Pakistan addressed as 'Uncle', who is suspected to be Abdul Bashir Khan.

Khan is an absconding accused of the 1993 serial bomb blasts and a close aide of Tiger Memon the prime conspirator of the blasts.

Police said that the both Rashid and Imtiaz were directed by the 'uncle' to recruit young boys and arrange for them to be sent to Pakistan for terror training.

The ATS also revealed that both terror suspect conducted recce of three targets - The Oil and Natural Gas Company (ONGC) headquarters, Thakkar Mall in suburban Mumbai and Mangaldas Market in south Mumbai. (ANI)