Burdwan blast case mastermind remanded to 12 days NIA custody

KOLKATA: A city court today remanded the alleged mastermind of Burdwan blast case, Sajid, to NIA custody till November 20.

Chief Judge of City Sessions Court Md Mumtaz Khan remanded Sajid, a Bangladeshi national who is stated to be a Chief Commander of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh ( JMB) terror group, to 12 days custody of NIA after its counsel prayed for a 14-day remand for interrogating him to unearth the activities of the terror group.

The NIA counsel submitted that he was involved in conspiring against India and other countries.

Sajid, when asked by the judge whether he had to say anything, told the court from the dock, "I committed crime in Bangladesh, I fled to save myself. I want to stay in India."

He told the court that his name was Sk Rahmatullah, alias Shakil, alias Borhan and that his father's name was Siddique Ali.

The NIA counsel submitted that Sajid, who was arrested by sleuths of Bidhannagar Police and handed over to NIA, was the mastermind and kingpin of the terror network.

They submitted that Rs one lakh in cash, fake voter identity cards and driving licence were found from his possession and the seized articles were produced before the court.

Sajid was arrested by sleuths of Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate yesterday afternoon from the Airport area of North 24-Parganas district, situated in the northern outskirts of the metropolis.

Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar had told reporters that they had arrested a person named Sheikh Rahamatullah who is a Bangaldeshi and that after interrogation, it was revealed that he is Sajid who is allegedly involved in the Burdwan blast case and is the chief of Burdwan module.

NIA had declared a cash award of Rs 10 lakh for Sajid's arrest.

Sajid, alias Sheikh Rahmatullah, is a member of Jamat-ul-Mujahadeen Bangladesh and is a member of Majlis-e-Sura which is the central committee of Jamat, according to Kumar.

Kumar also said that Sajid had spent a few years in a jail in Bangladesh.