Mumbai: Sulieman Patel, an accused out on
bail in the 2009 illegal arms seizure case, claims he does not
know Abdul Samad, who was recently granted bail by a court
which observed there was no evidence against him in the case.
Samad, alleged to be involved in the Pune Germany Bakery
blast case, was arrested on May 25 by the Maharashtra
Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in connection with the arms seizure
case.
According to ATS, Samad had supplied arms to three
persons - Haji Imran, Abdul Sheikh and Sulieman Patel, who
were arrested in August last year.
However, Sulieman, who is currently out on bail, claims
he does not know Samad.
"I have been reading about him (Samad) everywhere these
days. Newspapers have been saying he is the prime accused in
the arms case and also a suspect in a blast case," Sulieman
said today.
"I only know Imran and Sheikh who were arrested along
with me. I do not know any Samad," he said.
Sulieman, a resident of Penkar Muhalla in south Mumbai,
said he fears he may be "falsely implicated" in the blast case
too.
"I have been already branded as an accomplice of some one
like Chotta Shakeel. And now a blast case suspect has been
arrested in the same case as mine. I feel worried as to what
the police would do next," Sulieman said.
When asked whether he was questioned by ATS about Samad,
Sulieman replied in the negative.
"The ATS is yet to file its chargesheet in the arms
seizure case," he said.
Samad was released on bail on June 15 by a Sessions Court
which observed that there was no evidence against him and that
his custody was not required further.
PTI
