New Delhi: Indian Mujahideen co-founder Riyaz Bhatkal not only used to send funds for terror acts across the country but also regularly provided money to families of the jailed and absconding operatives of the banned outfit, the NIA has told a special court here.
This was stated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in its supplementary charge sheet filed against 20 suspected IM men, including its absconding top leaders Riyaz Bhatkal and Iqbal Bhatkal, in connection with a case of larger conspiracy of the group to carry out terror activities across India.
"Investigation has established that in pursuance of the conspiracy, accused A-10 (Riyaz Bhatkal) regularly sent funds for terrorist activities and also for daily subsistence needs to other IM operatives," the agency said.
"Money was also regularly sent to the jailed IM operatives and to the families of jailed or absconding IM operatives," it said. The NIA claimed that Pakistan-based Riyaz Bhatkal had earlier asked arrested IM India chief Yasin Bhatkal to establish contacts with Maoists in Nepal for supply of arms for terror activities in India.
"Acting on the directions of Riyaz Bhatkal, accused A-6 (Yasin Bhatkal) tried to establish contact with the Maoists in Nepal for arms supply. Riyaz had also told A-6 (Yasin) that he has been trying to establish some contact for procuring weapons from Kashmir," the agency said.
Out of the 20 accused named by the NIA in its charge sheet, 17 have not been arrested yet while three other suspected IM men Tehsin Akhtar, Haidar Ali and Zia-ur-Rehman are in judicial custody in connection with the case.
The NIA had earlier filed two charge sheets in the case against nine suspected IM operatives, including Yasin Bhatkal and his close aide Asadullah Akhtar alias Haddi, who were both arrested by the agency on August 28, 2013.
