Rourkela: A National Investigating Agency (NIA) team of Bhopal Wednesday took three of the five SIMI operatives, who were arrested here, on remand for a fortnight for further interrogation.
They were Zakir Hussain, Amjad Khan and Sheikh Mehboob.
Earlier, Anti Terror Squads of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh along with NIA-Bhopal had filed a petition with local SDJM court to take the five on remand for further questioning. The court heard the petition Wednesday and gave nod to NIA, Bhopal.
According to sources, several cases including murder, loot and major robbery cases were pending against the three in Bhopal and they would be taken there amid tight security Thursday. The three accused had killed STF constable Sitaram Yadav, a bank manager and a lawyer in 2009. They were also involved in a robbery case in 2010 and looted about 16 kg of gold of Mannapuram Gold Finance in 2011, according to the NIA team. The kingpin of the gang Abu Faisal alias Doctor was convicted by a Bhopal court and sentenced to life imprisonment.
The trio along with Haider of the dreaded Indian Mujahideen masterminded a bomb blast in Ranchi and fled to Orissa, according to Madhya Pradesh police. Local police along with their counterparts across all states launched a manhunt to nab the accused, sources said.
The three along with Mehboob’s mother Najma Bibi and Mohd Salek were arrested from Rourkela February 17 and taken on a 13-day remand by STF of Crime Branch which ended Tuesday. Later, the court sent them on a 14-day judicial custody. PNN