Burdwan blast accused Shahnoor Alam arrested

Key suspect in Burdwan blast case and alleged financial brain of terror group Jamaat-ul- Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) Shahnoor Alam has been arrested by NIA with the help of central security agencies from Assam's Nalbari district.

NIA, whose probe into the October 2 blast received a boost after the arrest of another accused Sajid, had been tailing Alam for quite sometime after his name surfaced in the call records and interrogation of the arrested accused person.

The investigating agency had last month arrested his wife but Alam had been on the run since the blast.

NIA, along with Assam Police and central security agencies, were looking for him in the areas where he could be hiding. They arrested him last evening from Larkuchi in Nalbari district, official sources said.

Alam, alias Doctor hails from Chatala village in Barpeta district of Assam and is alleged to have arranged the money for the Indian modules of JMB.
NIA had also declared a reward of Rs 5 lakh for anyone providing any information about him.

Alam was seen by the reporters being escorted by a group of policemen in plain clothes from one building to another at the headquarters of Special Branch of Assam Police at Kahilipara in Guwahati today.

He was brought to the headquarters for interrogation after his arrest yesterday by NIA at Lalkurchi village under Mukalmua Police station in Nalbari district.

Sources in the SB said Additional Director General of Police-SB Pallab Bhattachrjee was interrogating Alam.

Director General of Police Khagen Sarma has also arrived at the SB headquarters to interrogate Alam who was absconding since the October 2 last Burdwan blast that left two dead.

The NIA had announced a Rs five lakh award to anyone providing information on the accused.

Meanwhile, Alam's brother-in-law Mujibur Rahman in Lalkurchi village claimed before that he had tipped off the police about Alam's presence in his house.

Mujibur said that he had informed the police about Alam having taken shelter in his house leading to his arrest by the NIA with the help of central security agencies.
Alam, alias 'Doctorwho' hails from Chatala village in Barpeta district of Assam, is alleged to have arranged the money for the Indian modules of JMB.

The NIA had thrice searched Alam's house at Chatala village and seized some illegal documents, coins of Arabian countries, bank passbooks and some money collection receipt books of Talimul Madrassa in West Bengal.

The NIA probing into the October 2 last Burdwan blast case and jihadi activities in Assam had earlier arrested Alam's wife Sujana Begum in Guwahati from the ISBT on November 7 last.

So far 10 persons, including Alam, his wife Sujana and brother Jakaria, have been arrested in this connection.