Maharashtra: Man detained by ATS for questioning in case of arrested terror suspects

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Days after the Pune police arrested two suspects for their alleged involvement in terror-related activities, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has detained a man in Ratnagiri district for questioning in the case, an official said on Thursday, reported PTI.

The man was apprehended by the Navi Mumbai unit of the ATS based on a tip-off, and his interrogation was on, he said. "Further action against him will be taken if he is found to be involved in the case," the official said.

The state ATS recently took over the probe into the case of two terror suspects arrested in Pune last week. "During the investigation, the names of a few more persons came to light, following which the ATS teams started inquiring several persons," he said.

The duo, wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for their alleged involvement in a terror-related case in Rajasthan, were nabbed from Kothrud area of Pune city in the wee hours of July 18. A court in Pune later sent the duo - Mohammad Imran Mohammad Yunus Khan (23) and Mohammad Yunus Mohammad Yakub Saki (24) - to police custody till July 25.

The two suspects hail from Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh and are graphic designers. Both carried a bounty of Rs 5 lakh each, the police said.

According to police sources, the two terror suspects along with one more person - who managed to run away during the Pune police's operation - were allegedly conspiring to trigger bomb blasts in Jaipur.

In another case, on July 19, five people who were allegedly radicalised to carry out terror attacks have been arrested by the Central Crime Branch with firearms and ammunition along with 12 mobile phones confiscated from them, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda said.

Seven pistols, 45 live cartridges, a bunch of walkie-talkies, and some daggers were seized from the terror suspects, the police officer said, adding that provisions of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act were slapped against them.

The suspects were identified as Sohail, Omar, Jahid, Mudasir and Faisal. The five suspects were arrested near a place of worship in Kanakanagar area of Sultanpalya locality in the city while planning a major conspiracy, according to sources.

"The Central Crime Branch has succeeded in busting the anti-social forces and foiled their nefarious designs. They were arrested after raiding a place under Hebbal police station limits," Dayananda told reporters.

The suspects were allegedly radicalised by T Nazeer, who is an accused in the 2008 Bengaluru serial bomb blasts case and currently lodged in Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, along with another accused Junaid, who is living abroad.