New Delhi, Jul 5: Key 26/11 handler Abu Jundal was today remanded in Delhi Police custody for another 15 days by a city court which said his interrogation by the Special Cell will help other agencies as well in their investigation.
“I have given thoughtful consideration to the arguments advanced by all the agencies and out of all of them, I am impressed most with the case of Special Cell of Delhi Police wherein this accused has already been in custody for 15 days,” Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vinod Yadav said.
“In any case I have strong faith that the ongoing investigation of the Special Cell of Delhi Police is also going to help other investigating agencies including NIA as they can always take clue from the Special Cell to develop their probe,” the judge said, maintaining Delhi Police was “midway” in its probe.
The court said other agencies—National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Mumbai Police' ATS and CID—would have to wait for seeking custody of Jundal till July 20 when his remand with Delhi Police will expire.
The court conducted in-camera proceedings as Delhi Police pleaded for Jundal's custody by invoking provisions under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The magistrate asked all others except Delhi Police officials and their counsel to vacate the court room.
However, the pleas of the other probe agencies seeking the custody of 30-year-old Jundal were heard in open court.
The NIA sought Jundal's custody saying it needs to quiz him to prevent another 26/11-like attack, while the Mumbai Police CID said it wanted him to confront him with the lone surviving Mumbai terror convict Ajmal Kasab.
Apart from these agencies, Pune and Mumbai ATS have also sought the custody of Jundal in connection with various terror cases.
The Pune ATS has sought Jundal's custody on the ground that the Supreme Court has directed that an expeditious trial be conducted in the Aurangabad arms haul case, while the Mumbai ATS wanted to quiz him regarding the Pune German Bakery blast and the attack on the Nasik police academy.
Jundal had allegedly trained the ten Pakistani terrorists who had attacked Mumbai on November 26, 2008, besides teaching them basic Hindi and apprising them about Mumbai's topography.
He was arrested from Indira Gandhi International Airport on June 21 and was in the custody of Delhi Police till July 5.
He has been arrested in connection with an FIR registered on November 22, 2011 relating to the arrest of Indian Mujahideen operatives and is also being interrogated for his alleged involvement in Jama Masjid, German Bakery and Chinnaswamy stadium blast cases.
He has been booked under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Explosive Substances Act, the Passport Act and various sections of the IPC.
