Another ‘terror plot’ arrest: Man who ran coaching institute

Rizwan and Zakir were produced in a special court Monday and remanded in judicial custody till October 4.

The ATS claims Zakir and Jaan Mohammed Shaikh, who was arrested by Special Cell on September 14, were in touch with a Pakistani national who used a fictitious name, Anthony, alias Anwar alias Anas.

“Soon after Sheikh was arrested by the Special Cell, Zakir realised that even his house would be raided, due to which he went to Rizwan’s Mumbra residence and stayed there for two days,” claimed an officer.

The ATS claims Zakir was using Rizwan’s phone to make calls to handlers in Pakistan. Following Zakir’s arrest, the ATS alleged, Rizwan broke his phone into three pieces and threw it in a nullah near his house.

“Zakir had given him his phone to destroy it, due to which Rizwan has been booked under IPC section 201 (destruction of evidence) along with section 18 (punishment for conspiracy) of the UAPA,” said an officer.

Rizwan was picked up on Saturday evening from his residence and taken to the ATS office for questioning. He was arrested early Sunday. “After interrogating him, all pieces of the phone were recovered from the nullah. We have sent it for forensic examination and are trying to retrieve data,” said an officer.

The Indian Express has learnt that Rizwan runs a tutorial school with a partner, with branches in Andheri, Kurla, Bandra and, since last year, in Mumbra.

The ATS said he was not directly in touch with anyone from the foreign country, but would allegedly follow instructions he received from Zakir. ATS officials said Rizwan was doing this for money. Asked why the ATS did not seek police custody of the two arrested accused, an officer said, “We may need their custody after we arrest other suspects who may be involved, and also we are yet to get the forensic report of their phone. So we will take their custody then.”