New Delhi: The judicial custody of journalist Syed Mohammad Ahmed Kazmi, charge-sheeted in the Israeli diplomat attack case, was extended on Friday till August 9, the day slated by the court to consider taking cognisance of the charge sheet.

Kazmi`s custody was extended by Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vidya Prakash. The charge sheet, which names Kazmi as accused in the case was to come up for the court`s consideration today but it was deferred after the prosecution sought more time.
Kazmi has been booked under various provisions of the anti-terror law, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the Explosive Substances Act and other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including the attempt to murder. In its over 550-page charge sheet filed in the court on July 31, the Special Cell of Delhi Police has said Kazmi was in touch with Houshang Afshar Irani, who is responsible for executing the terrorist attack, and had facilitated him in the same.
It has also said that while Irani, on the one hand was in touch with Kazmi through mobile phone, on the other hand, he was in contact with Sedaghatzadeh Masoud and Syed Ali Mahdiansadr.
Irani, Sedaghatzadeh, Mahdiansadr and one Mohammadreza Abolghashemi, have been named as suspects in the charge sheet.
According to the police, Afshar had visited India on April 25, 2011 and left the country on May 6, 2011. He had come back to India again on January 29, 2012, but left for Malaysia on February 13 evening, within hours after the attack on the Israeli diplomat here. The agency had found that Afshar had stayed at a hotel named Hotel High 5 and an analysis of his mobile number had revealed that he had contacted Kazmi. The CCTV footage and other records of his stay at the hotel were seized by police and Kazmi was arrested on March 6.
The scooter purchased by Afshar, which was used in the recce of the Israeli embassy, too was seized from Kazmi`s house. Kazmi`s call details showed he was in touch with other suspects.
In its charge sheet, the police said it was engaged in a time-consuming probe spanning various countries, including Iran, Malaysia, Thailand and Israel to ascertain if there was a "larger conspiracy" behind the February 13 terror attack on the Israeli diplomat here.
It has also sent Letters Rogatory to Georgia, Malaysia, Iran, Thailand and Israel to facilitate its probe into the case.
PTI