MCOCA court rejects bail plea of Abu Jundal

Mumbai, Nov 18: The

plea of alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba operative Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal was on Monday rejected by

court in the 2006 Aurangabad arms haul case.

Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) Designated Judge Sayed Kadri rejected Jundal's bail petition saying he could not be given liberty at this stage because of his alleged involvement in the crime. Jundal's lawyer Ejaz Naqvi said that he would appeal against the verdict in the Bombay High Court.

Jundal had appealed for the bail on the ground of parity. He contended that co-accused Abdul Majeed, who was charged with facilitating parking of cars laden with arms and explosives, had been granted bail. On similar ground, he should also be given liberty, Jundal pleaded.

Jundal is charged with participating in the conspiracy in the Aurangabad arms haul case in which arms and explosives were seized from two cars.

According to Anti-Terrorism Squad, one of its teams chased a Tata Sumo and an Indica on Chandwad-Manmad highway near Aurangabad on May 8, 2006, and arrested three suspects, besides seizing 30 kg of RDX, 10 AK-47 rifles and 3,200 bullets. Later, ATS seized 13 kg RDX, six AK-47s, 50 grenades and two swords from other suspects.

Those arrested reportedly told police that the consignment was brought by Jundal, who had fled to Pakistan. Jundal, a native of Beed district in Maharashtra, was deported from Saudi Arabia in June 2012. He has also been arrested in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case.

According to crime branch police, he was one of the key conspirators of November 2008 attacks which left 166 dead and many more injured. After fleeing Maharashtra in May 2006, Jundal entered Bangladesh and went to Pakistan. In Maharashtra, he is also accused of involvement in 2006 Aurangabad arms haul case, 2010 German Bakery blast in Pune and Nashik police academy attack conspiracy.

PTI