Hyderabad blasts: Production warrants issued against 2 IM operatives

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Wednesday issued fresh production warrants for tomorrow against two suspected Indian Mujahideen operatives whose custody was sought by the NIA for interrogation in connection with the twin blasts in Hyderabad that claimed 16 lives.

District judge I S Mehta issued the fresh production warrants against Syed Maqbool and Imran Khan after they were not produced before him by the jail authorities.

The court had on February 25 issued production warrants and had directed the authorities of Tihar Jail, where they both are currently lodged, to produced them before it today.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had earlier moved the court seeking their custody.

The two are lodged in Tihar Jail under judicial custody after being arrested by the Special Cell of Delhi Police in connection with the August 2012 Pune blasts.

According to NIA, Maqbool and Imran had in July, 2012, allegedly recced Hyderabad's Dilsukhnagar, where the blasts took place on February 21, on the instructions of IM's Pakistan-based founder Riyaz Bhatkal and their interrogation will help them to know the exact plan envisaged by Riyaz.

NIA prosecutor Ahmed Khan had said that they require the custody of the duo to interrogate them regarding the recent Hyderabad blasts as they are suspected operatives of IM and could give them details and more clues about the executors of the blasts.

The blasts were triggered by IED outside a roadside eatery near Konark and Venkatadiri theatres in the area.