A file photo of 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Jalees Ansari
Dr Jalees Ansari, the convict in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case, was on Friday arrested by Uttar Pradesh Police's Special Task Force (STF).
Commenting on the arrest of Ansari, Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police OP Singh said that he was arrested while he was coming out of a mosque in Kanpur. A missing person complaint had been filed by Ansari’s family on Thursday in Mumbai.
He had been out on parole, the DGP said. “It's a big achievement of UP Police,” said Singh.
The 68-year-old convict of the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case is serving a life term. He was on parole for 21 days from the Ajmer Central Prison, Rajasthan, and was expected to surrender before prison authorities on Friday, he said.
During the parole period, he was ordered to visit the Agripada Police Station everyday between 10.30 am and 12 pm to mark his attendance, he said.
However, Jalees Ansari did not visit the police station on Thursday during the designated time, the official said.
In the afternoon, his 35-year-old son Jaid Ansari approached the police station with a complaint about his "missing" father, he said.
According to the complaint, Jalees Ansari woke up in the early hours and told family members he is going to offer namaz, but did not return home.
On the son's complaint, the Agripada Police registered a missing person's case, the official said.
The Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police and the Maharashtra ATS have launched a massive manhunt to trace him, he said.
Jalees Ansari, who is known as Doctor Bomb, was allegedly connected with terror outfits like SIMI and Indian Mujahideen and taught terror groups how to make bombs, he said.
He was also questioned by the NIA in 2011 in connection with the 2008 bomb blast in Mumbai, he said.
(with PTI inputs)
