Medical student from Juhu is suspected to have been part of conspiracy The officials of Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Sunday called the father of alleged Students Islamic Movement of India (Simi) activist Farhan Khan for questioning.
According to the ATS, Khan is a medical student and was studying in Indore in Madhya Pradesh. He was also arrested in 2006 by the Madhya Pradesh (MP) police for his alleged links with Simi.
“Khan’s father, who runs a medical store in the slums of Juhu was called for inquiry to ascertain the whereabouts of his son, who is presently absconding,” confirmed Hemant Karkare, joint commissioner of police (ATS).
However, Karkare said that it would be premature to term Khan as a suspect in the Ahmedabad blasts case. “All those who have links with Simi and are remotely linked with Mumbai or Maharashtra have always been our suspects. The list of suspects is much more and it does not only involve Khan. We have given a list of 25 suspected Simi members to Gujarat police and would now give the list of people who were actively involved as Simi members in MP to the police of that state,” he said.
The police are probing whether it was Khan, who had allegedly given orders from Indore to steal vehicles from Navi Mumbai used in the Ahmedabad blasts. “Since Khan was in Indore, it is very much possible that he had booked the vehicles which were stolen from Navi Mumbai and smuggled to Vapi. Later in Bharuch, their number plates were changed and they were laden with explosives,” said an ATS official requesting anonymity.
Two cars were used in the Ahmedabad blasts while the other two were found abandoned in Surat laden with explosives. A Mumbai crime branch team is in
MP and making inquiries regarding the stolen vehicles.
One of the important revelations made by Simi chief Safdar Nagori while he was in custody of MP police was that some months ago, Khan had allegedly attended a training camp held 30 km away from Indore. It was also attended by several other Simi activists, including Nagori.
After the local police got a whiff about the camp, they immediately raided the place. A dog squad, which was also taken to the spot, helped them recover over 100 gelatin sticks and firearms which were hidden in an open ground.
The Mumbai crime branch had recently arrested eight car thieves from Thane, Chembur, Gujarat and Rajasthan and also got information of 40 stolen vehicles from them. However, none of them were anyway connected to the blasts.
