JOIN USForeign help sought to focus on CCTV footages
Two suspected HUJI members arrested in Bihar were slapped with an FIR after they came under the scanner in the serial blasts probe, while the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad intensified its nationwide hunt to get solid leads on the bombers five days after the terror attacks.
The CID also began its inquiry into the death of Fiaz Usmani — the brother of an alleged Indian Mujahideen member — who passed away in a hospital on Sunday following questioning by the crime branch sleuths in connection with the blasts.
Faiza’s death prima facie appeared due to natural causes, said Dr T P Lahane, dean of government-run J J hospital. In Mumbai, a police official said the volume of the CCTV footages, which are playing a crucial role in helping the investigators identify the sequence of events that led to the blasts, is huge and many of the scenes are not clear.
“There was a need to enhance the image. We are taking the help of technical experts of a foreign-based firm for this job,” said a senior Mumbai police official. In Bihar, Kishanganj SP, R K Mishra said an FIR was lodged against Md Riyazul Sarkar alias Akash Khan who was arrested on Saturday, besides Md Mahtab Alam, who was in the custody of the Pauakhali police in the district under the Foreigners Act. “Sarkar claims to be an Indian and had stayed in Bangalore. We verified from Bangalore and other addresses he gave us and found the details wrong. One thing we can say is that Sarkar is not an Indian,” Mishra said.
“We have seized diaries, several SIM cards, details of bank accounts and several contact numbers. These are under investigation,” he said. Asked whether the involvement of the two in the Mumbai blasts has been established, he replied: “We are yet to establish this.” On whether the two were associated with the HUJI, Mishra said “though we have not received clue I cannot rule out anything.”
Md Reyazul Sarkar alias Akash Khan, fluent in Kannada, Gujarati and Bengali, was arrested from a house in Maheshpura village in the district. The house owner Mehtab Alam with whom Sarkar was staying for seven days was also arrested.