Delhi serial blasts: Court extends police remand of IM suspect

A suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorist, who absconded for more than 15 months, was today remanded by a local court to police custody for six more days to allow investigators to probe his alleged role in the September 2008 serial blasts here.

Metropolitan magistrate, Hem Raj sent Shahzad to custodial
interrogation till February 18 in one of the five cases registered following the synchronised explosions on September 13, 2008, that claimed 26 lives and left 135 others injured.

According to the police, Shahzad had undertaken the recce of the area for three times before planting bombs that could be defused on time at Children's Park near India Gate.

The accused, who has been arrested in the case registered with Tilak Mark police station, was produced before the duty magistrate by the Delhi police's Special Cell after the end of six days police remand.

Counsel for Shahzad MS Khan opposed the plea for extension of his remand on the ground that the police had already filed chargesheets against 12 accused after claiming to have unearthed the conspiracy behind the serial blasts.

The IM suspect is alleged to have run away along with another accused Junaid after an encounter on September 19, 2008, with the Special cell sleuths at Batla House in South Delhi in which inspector MC Sharma was killed.
 
Shahzad, who was arrested from Azamgarh on February 1 by Uttar Pradesh's Anti-Terror Squad, is also alleged to have fired at the deceased police officer.