Judicial custody of 13/7 blasts accused extended till April 23

MUMBAI: Four accused, arrested in connection with the 13/7 Mumbai triple blasts, were today produced in a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court here, where their judicial custody was extended till April 23.

The Maharashtra ATS, probing the blasts case had invoked stringent provisions of MCOCA against the four arrested accused -- Naquee Ahmed, Nadeem Sheikh, Kanwar Pathrija and Haroon Naik--for their alleged involvement in the blasts and were lodged in judicial custody.

Also, one of the accused, Nadeem Sheikh, who had given a confession statement, admitting to the alleged offence, filed a retraction before the court today.

While Nadeem said his confession was obtained forcefully, another accused Haroon alleged that he was tortured by the agency.

Three blasts had taken place minutes apart at Zaveri Bazaar, Opera House and Dadar on July 13 last year killing 27 persons and injuring several others.

According to ATS, the blasts were allegedly carried out by terror outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM) in which its top operative Yasin Bhatkal was directly involved. Bhatkal is absconding.

The investigating agency had earlier told the magistrate's court while seeking the accused's custody that Pathrija had sent Rs ten lakh to Bhatkal through 'hawala' channels to carry out the blasts. Pathrija was alleged to have recieved the money from Saudi Arabia.