I have no links in city: Mehdi Masroor Biswas

BENGALURU: Mehdi Masroor Biswas, arrested for his ISIS-inspired propaganda on @ShamiWitness on last Saturday, has told his interrogators that he did not have any links or friendship with anyone in Bengaluru. Interrogators, however, will seek an extension of his police custody, which ends Thursday.

“We have not come across any possible domestic connections, including any friendships in the city,” an officer involved in the investigation said.

Meanwhile, Biswas’ parents met City Police Commissioner MN Reddi at an undisclosed location on Wednesday. “We are still looking for a lawyer. We can’t afford Rs 10,000-20,000 that some lawyers are demanding,” Mumtaz Begum, Mehdi’s mother, told ET. The police have arranged accommodation for them to stay in the city. She saw Biswas for the first time since his arrest, but they were quiet when their eyes met, she said. Reddi revealed that a special software was being used to screen over one lakh tweets made by Biswas. His call detail records and emails are being analyzed and all Indian agencies are involved in this case, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Abhishek Goyal, who is leading the investigation. “This case is adding a new dimension to our approach,” he said.

In view of the threats doing rounds on the social media, security personnel guarding Biswas were provided advanced weapons, in addition to a general alert in the city.