Author: Express News Service
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: August 18, 2006
URL: http://cities.expressindia.com/archivefullstory.php?newsid=197250&creation_date=2006-08-18
Saying he was ''extremely cold-blooded and
a staunch religious fanatic'', the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Thursday
sought police custody for 7/11 blasts accused Dr Tanveer Ansari, this time
for his alleged involvement in the Bandra blast.
Tanveer, a Unani doctor at Saboo Siddiqui
Hospital, was arrested on July 24 and later booked for his alleged role in
the Matunga and Jogeshwari blasts. On Thursday, he was produced before Additional
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate A M Garde and remanded to police custody till
August 31.
The ATS, in its remand application, said that
during interrogation, they discovered that Tanveer was concealing information
about a cellphone that he had given to one of his patients. This cellphone,
the ATS said, was recovered from Tanveer's brother Ishtiyaq and could throw
light on the probe.
''Being a fanatic and a doctor, he is capable
of procuring and providing the local men infrastructure in terrorist activities
like bomb blasts,'' the ATS said in its remand plea.
While the ATS said that Tanveer's custody
was necessary because he was tight-lipped about the acts he had committed,
Tanveer's lawyer Amin Solkar (see box) opposed the plea for the remand extension.
''He has already been remanded to police custody
twice, in the Matunga and Jogeshwari blasts,'' Solkar said. ''If the police
say that the conspiracy is the same and the investigating agency is the same,
then according to the law, the court cannot remand him further.''
Earlier on Monday, the ATS had alleged that
Students Islamic Movement of India activist Ehtesham Siddiqui, who was booked
in the 7/11 blasts' case on August 12, had told Tanveer to buy 500 ml of hydrogen
peroxide, acetone and sulphuric acid.
These, the ATS said, had been recovered from
Tanveer's locker at Saboo Siddiqui Hospital. Tanveer, the ATS added, had also
received training in Pakistan on using AK-47s, stenguns, rocket launchers
and timer devices.
