Darbhanga parcel blast case: NIA gets 7 more days’ custody of 2 accused LeT terrorists

PATNA: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday got seven days’ additional remand of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) alleged terrorist brothers Mohammad Nasir Khan and Imran Khan for further interrogation in their alleged involvement in Darbhanga railway station parcel blast case and pan-India terror attack plot.
Sources said that the duo's additional remand time is mainly aimed to know about their alleged Pakistan based international handler who was commanding them online.
The duo was produced before a special NIA court here in Patna on Friday along with another accused Kafil Ansari.
Nasir and Imran’s earlier remand of seven-day with the agency was ending on Friday itself before which they were required to be produced before the court. Their fresh remand with NIA would start from Saturday and will end on July 16.
Sources said NIA didn’t pray for the further remand of Kafil following which he was forwarded to judicial custody in Beur central jail on Friday after six days’ interrogation.
NIA had taken the trio to Shamli, Uttar Pradesh and then to Hyderabad in course of interrogation during their remand period.
NIA had urged altogether ten days’ remand of Nasir and Imran on Friday for their continued interrogation but court agreed for seven days.
Sources said NIA didn’t move any petition to seek custody of alleged LeT recruited in India Haji Salim who is presently inside the Beur central jail amid high security.
“Nasir and Imran have shared vital information with NIA about their terror plot which was a bigger one and was to be implemented across country. They have also shared information about their handler in Pakistan who was directing them how to plan the terror attacks. Both are about to share more information for which additional interrogation time was required,” a highly placed source said.
The sources said that though it was Salim who recruited Nasir and Imran in the terror plan, Kafil also had an important association with them in the entire conspiracy.
“Once, Nasir and Imran’s interrogation is complete, NIA might then take Kafil on remand again for another round of interrogation to corroborate all facts and information. More arrests may take place in the case after further interrogation,” a source said.
The Darbhanga blast took place inside a parcel on platform number one on June 17.
NIA has said Nasir and Imran had planted the IED containing liquid chemicals inside the parcel and booked it in Darbhanga bound train from Secunderabad to cause an explosion en-route which failed.
The duo were arrested from Hyderabad on June 30. Both settled there two decades back from Kairana of Shamli in Uttar Pradesh as garment traders.
Later on July 2, Salim and Kafil too were arrested from Kairana for their alleged involvement in the terror conspiracy with Nasir and Imran.