Officials had interrogated alleged blast mastermind in March
SURAT: If the Gujarat police claim that Safdar Nagori headed the Indian Mujahideen, which is responsible for the serial blasts in Ahmedabad and the planting of bombs in Surat, then it can be said that the Surat police could have prevented the Ahmedabad blasts.
Safdar Nagori and Karimuddin Nagori were arrested by the Indore police in March for delivering fiery jehadi speeches to influence youth to join terror activities.
According to sources, after Safdar’s arrest, a team of Surat Special Operations Group (SOG) officials visited Indore to interrogate him in connection with the case related to arrest of 123 Simi members from Rajshree Hall in Surat in 2001. This meeting was organised under the banner of the All India Minority Education Board.
Sajid Mansoori, whose arrest is believed to have provided the breakthrough in the bomb blasts case, was also wanted by the Gujarat police in connection with this case.
Sources added that during interrogation, Nagori specified that Simi was active in Madhya Pradesh and not Gujarat. The police reportedly believed Nagori’s version.
According to SOG sources, Nagori, who intended to divert the state police’s attention, succeeded in his efforts.
However, Nagori’s interrogation also assumes importance as DGP PC Pande had also stated that explosive materials for the bombs, which were manufactured in Ahmedabad and Vadodara, were delivered from Madhya Pradesh.
However, SOG sources said that explosives which were used for Ahmedabad and Vadodara blasts were delivered from a place near Indore.
k_roshan@dnaindia.net
