A Delhi court here on Wednesday rejected the Mumbai Crime Branch’s plea for custody of Abu Jundal- the alleged handler of ten Pakistan terrorists involved in the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai.
Abu Jundal is currently in the custody of the Special Cell of Delhi Police.
The court passed its order after Delhi Police strongly opposed the plea moved by the Mumbai Crime Branch seeking his custody for interrogation in connection with terrorism related cases. The Delhi Police pleaded before the court that it wanted to interrogate Abu Jundal in connection with recent blasts in the national capital.
After the court’s ruling, Mumbai Crime branch moved a fresh application seeking Jundal’s custody and the matter has been posted for hearing on July 5. The Crime Branch of Mumbai Police had yesterday moved the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Vinod Yadav seeking Jundal’s custody.
The court had then directed Delhi Police to file its reply on the application by today.
The Mumbai Police wanted Jundal’s custody in connection with various cases of murder, attempt to murder and other offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Arms Act, which are being probed by Crime Investigation Department (CID), Mumbai.
The Mumbai Police’ application was accompanied by a request letter issued by a Mumbai court for producing 30-year-old Jundal before it. The Mumbai police are also gearing up to confront Jundal with the lone surviving perpetrator of the brazen attacks Ajmal Kasab.
“We hope to get the custody of Jundal at the earliest so that we can grill him. We would also like to confront him with Kasab,” a senior Crime Branch officer said.
Requesting anonymity, the officer said Jundal’s interrogation will throw “complete light” on what went before, during and after the audacious strike in Pakistan, where the conspiracy was hatched.
A separate trial would be held against Jundal for his role in the 26/11 attacks, he said.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra ATS is also preparing to seek Jundal’s custody in the February 2010 bomb blast at Pune’s popular German Bakery, close to Osho Ashram and Jewish Chabad House, that left 17 dead and 65 wounded.
The ATS will also seek his custody in Aurangabad Arms haul case.
Jundal alias Abu Hamza alias Sayyed Zaibuddin was arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi Police from Indira Gandhi International Airport here and was produced before the CMM’s court on June 21.
He is currently in the custody of Special Cell till July 5. Jundal has been booked under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Explosive Substances Act, the Passport Act and various sections of the IPC.
Jundal, an alleged LeT operative, is believed to have issued directions from a ‘control room’ in Pakistan to 10 terrorists who went on a rampage in Mumbai in November 2008, killing 166 persons.
He was deported from Saudi Arabia on India’s request and was arrested on his arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport by Delhi Police on June 21.
Jundal allegedly had taught Hindi to 10 Lashker-e-Toiba terrorists who carried out the Mumbai attacks in 2008.
A resident of Georai area of Beed district in Maharashtra, he had managed to give a slip to the Mumbai Police when an arms consignment in Aurungabad was seized in 2006 and had left for Pakistan.
Along with five others, he was allegedly present in the ‘control room’ set up in Pakistan and was heard instructing terrorists who were engaged in a fight with NSG commandos at Nariman house, officials associated with the probe have said.
According to police, his presence was also stated by Ajmal Kasab in his deposition before a special court in Mumbai.
Kasab had told the court that one person by the name of Abu Jundal had tutored 10 terrorists on how to speak Hindi.
India had also secured an Interpol Red Corner Notice against Jundal in which he was accused of crimes involving the use of weapons, explosives and terrorism.
