Rs 15 lakh reward for catching elusive IM operative

New Delhi, Dec 1: Delhi Police today (Dec 1) announced a Rs 15 lakh reward for anyone providing information on elusive Indian Mujahideen operative Yasin Bhatkal alias Imran, allegedly involved in a series of terror cases.

The reward, which was increased from Rs three lakh announced earlier in April this year, came following the recent arrest and interrogation of six persons belonging to a terror module led by Bhatkal.

"Delhi Police Commissioner B K Gupta has announced the cash reward of Rs 15 lakh upon Ahmed Siddi Bappa Zarar alias Sharukh alias Yasin Ahmed alias Imran," a senior police official said. Yasin (27), a resident of Bhatkal in Karnataka, is an "Indian Muzahiddin operative wanted in three cases of Delhi apart from him being wanted in other cases", the official said.

According to the official, the cases included the firing on Taiwanese media crew outside Jama Masjid on September 19, 2010 and a blast in a car in the same locality within hours on the same day.

He is charged under several sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, Arms Act, Passport Act, Explosives Substances Act, Information Technology Act and Indian Penal Code. The Commissioner had in April this year announced a reward of Rs three lakh on Yasin besides rewards of various proportions on others including, Riyaz and Iqbal Bhatkal and Amir Raza Khan.

According to police, Yasin is believed to be the "main man" who was allegedly providing finance and other logistics to the six persons of the module which was busted. Yasin along with Mohd Adil and Qateel Siddiqui, who were arrested in the past one week, have allegedly carried out the terror strike outside Jama Masjid, ahead of Commonwealth Games here to "avenge" the Batla House encounter in which suspected Indian Mujahideen operatives were killed.

PTI