Police get Bhatkal`s custody in German Bakery blast case

Pune: Prime accused in the 2010 German Bakery blast case and Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal was sent to 14-day police custody by a court here Friday.

"He was brought here from Mumbai and presented before the Additional Sessions Judge SD Darne who has ordered police custody to Bhatkal till March 28," the accused`s lawyer IPS Gill said. In its remand application, Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) ACP Shantaram Tayde said Bhatkal`s custodial interrogation was needed to unravel certain as yet unknown aspects about the case. On Thursday, a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court granted permission to the state ATS to take Bhatkal to Pune for the hearing in the German Bakery case. Tayde said investigations have revealed that it was Bhatkal, 31, who had placed the bomb inside the German Bakery which killed 17 people and injured 64 others. The police needed to investigate from where Bhatkal had sourced the RDX used in the blast Feb 13, 2010. After committing the Pune blast, Bhatkal had been absconding for over three years and during the intervening period till his arrest August 2013, there were many other blasts across the country which the police wanted to investigate. Besides, there are at least six others absconders who are wanted in the Pune blast case and Bhatkal could shed light on their whereabouts and other related issues.