Hyderabad: A local court on Thursday remanded Swami
Asimanand, an accused in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, in
eight-day CBI custody till December 18.
The XIV Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court
here allowed Swaminand`s custody from tomorrow, though the
investigation agency had requested permission to allow it to
further interrogate him for an additional 15-day period.
Asimanand alias Naba Kumar Sarkar, who is presently under
judicial custody till December 14, was arrested by CBI on
November 19 from Haridwar in connection with the blast at the
historic Mecca Masjid here on May 18, 2007.
Nine persons were killed in the explosion.
The court, earlier on November 26, had remanded the
59-year-old Asimanand in seven-day CBI custody.
CBI counsel P Vikram had contended that the accused had
to be confronted with statements of other witnesses and
documents as during the previous course of interrogation he
did not reveal the facts due to his weak memory.
It was necessary to take him to Gujarat and other places
for interrogation, he said.
The CBI also asked for custodial interrogation of the
accused to elicit "conspiracy" between Asimanand and other
accused in the blast case. However, the defence counsel had
opposed police custody saying it would serve no purpose as
Asimanand did not reveal any facts during interrogation.
After considering contention of both the parties,
magistrate K Sudhakar today allowed the CBI petition saying it
was necessary to confront the swami with the statements of
other witnesses and documents.
He directed that the investigating officer should not use
third degree method of investigation against the accused.
PTI
