Mumbai, Nov 11: Suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba operative Jahid Yusuf Patni was today further remanded to police custody till November 24 in Gateway of India bomb blast case by a special court even as the police claimed that they had made progress in the investigations. Patni, who had allegedly masterminded the August 25 bomb blasts at Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar as well as July 28 Ghatkopar explosion, was arrested on October 02 under Pota after he arrived from Dubai.

He was earlier held in police custody in July 28 Ghatkopar and Gateway of India blast cases. In the Zaveri Bazaar blast case, he is yet to be arrested. Twentyfive-year-old Patni was produced before designated Judge A P Bhangale who perused case diaries before remanding him to custody.

Prosecutors Ujjwal Nikam and Ganesh Sovani alleged that Patni had links with foreign nationals who are suspected to have financed the blasts. They said police needed his custody to unearth the role of Lashkar-e-Toiba in the conspiracy. The prosecutors told the court that Patni had met the co-accused in Dubai and conspired with them to engineer the explosions in Mumbai.

They said Patni's involvement came to light during interrogations of co-accused Sayed Mohammed Hanif Abdul Rahim, his wife Fahimida, daughter Farheen and Ashrat Ansari.

Two persons were killed and 31 injured when an explosion occurred in a bus in suburban Ghatkopar on July 28. Two more blasts occurred on August 25 at Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar killing 53 people and injuring over 100.

Bureau Report