Probe In Pune Terror Module Case Transferred To NIA From Maharashtra ATS

The defence lawyer advocate Yashpal Purohit told the court that ATS in its remand application has mentioned that these accused are extremists and of jihadi mentality.

PUNE: A special court on Tuesday in Pune transferred the Pune terror module case probe to the National Investigating Agency from Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad. Maharashtra ATS has till now arrested five accused in the case. Imran Khan, Yunus Saki, Abdul Kadir Pathan, Simab Kazi and Zulfikar Barodawala all accused are in ATS custody till 11 August 2023.

While seeking transfer of the case from ATS, NIA in its application has stated to hand over entire case records including statements of witnesses, materials, articles, case diaries etc to a chief investigative officer of the NIA. NIA re-registered the case under sections 34, 379, 468 and 511 of the IPC, Sections 13, 15, 16, 18 and 20 of UAPA and relevant sections of the Arms Act and Maharashtra Police Act. 

NIA also stated that the Central government is of the opinion that scheduled offences under the National Investigation Act (NIA) Act 2008 have been committed and having regard to the gravity of offences, inter state linkage, it is required to be investigated by NIA in accordance with NIA Act 2008.  Therefore NIA prayed before the special court to forthwith transfer judicial records to NIA special court.

The additional sessions judge V R Kachare gave the transit remand of all five accused to NIA, which will produce them in Mumbai NIA court on Wednesday. Public Prosecutor ( for ATS ) Vijay Fargade said that the court has passed the order to give the probe to NIA and also handed over the custody of all the accused. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) informed the special court of Pune that arrested terror suspects are of 'jihadi ideology' as incriminating and sensitive literature was seized from them. ATS need more time to probe the case further therefore custodial remand is needed to investigate them. 

ATS, which was probing the case had produced all four suspected terrorists Imran Khan, Yunus Saki, Qadir Pathan and Simab Kazi before the special court on Saturday on which court had granted ATS custody till 11 August to all accused. While seeking the remand, ATS had informed the court that during the investigation incriminating and sensitive literature was seized from the accused. These materials are sensitive in nature, sensitive because these materials and literature are not available in the open market in the country.

The defence lawyer advocate Yashpal Purohit told the court that ATS in its remand application has mentioned that these accused are extremists and of jihadi mentality. "ATS has also seized some maps and papers from the accused. ATS has also given brief information about the model they were using for the communication," he said. 

Yashpal Purohit further stated that ATS has informed the court that the accused are members of Al-Sufa and ISIS terror organisations. Therefore further custodial interrogation and time are needed to probe the case. "While we told the court, ATS has already seized many materials from the accused and enough custody is already being given therefore further custody is not needed. However, considering the national security the court has granted further custody to all three accused till 11 August 2023," Yashpal Purohit said. 

Out of four terror suspects two were arrested by Pune Police during routine patrolling in the Kothrud area while both were trying to steal a bike later the case was transferred to ATS after being found that both accused were wanted by the NIA in a Rajasthan Terror module case while investigation.  ATS has arrested two more accused on the charge of giving financial support and shelter to the terror suspect, recently ATS took custody of one more accused Zulfikar Barodawala who was in judicial custody and arrested by NIA in an ISIS module case later he was also sent to ATS custody till August 11.