Yasin Bhatkal is under the custody of the Bihar Police, interrogation is on: Sushil Kumar Shinde

NEW DELHI: Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal, key accused in many bomb attacks in the country, was arrested from the Indo-Nepal border in Bihar last night by intelligence agencies, the government said today.


Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said that Bhatkal, accused in Hyderabad and Mumbai blasts, was arrested from "Bihar-Nepal border" yesterday night and he is the custody of the Bihar Police.

He is being interrogated by the Bihar Police, the Minister said.

"Yasin has been traced and he is under the custody of the Bihar Police. The interrogation is going on. Till now, this is the only information," Shinde told reporters outside Parliament House.

Asked as to which agency picked him up, the Minister said, "intelligence agencies" but refused to disclose their names.

30-year-old Bhatkal, one of India's most wanted terrorists, had been on the run for over five years.

Bhatkal, also known as Mohammed Ahmed Siddhibappa, along with three aides Tahaseen Akhtar Wasim Aktar Shaikh (23), Asadulla Akhtar Javed Akhtar (26) and Waqas alias Ahmed (26), was allegedly behind three coordinated bomb explosions at Opera House, Zaveri Bazaar and Dadar West in Mumbai on July 13, 2011 that left 27 dead and 130 injured.

The IM leader is wanted in a string of terror attacks in Ahmedabad, Surat, Bangalore, Delhi and Hyderabad.

In February this year, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh each to anyone giving information on Bhatkal and the three aides.

In December 2011, the Delhi Police had also announced a reward of Rs 15 lakh for any information leading to the arrest of Bhatkal in several terror cases, including three in Delhi.