Two arrested for terror links, remanded to judicial custody

Mumbai: A special MCOCA court on Thursday remanded Faisal Mirza and Allahrakha Mansuri to judicial custody. The Maharashtra ATS had arrested the duo for suspected links with terrorists in Dubai.

Advocates Sharif Shaikh and Abhishek Pandey, who appeared for Mirza on behalf of Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind, filed an application before special MCOCA judge V.P. Awhad, alleging that ATS officers during police custody took Mirza’s signature on some blank papers. The lawyers also claimed that the accused was apprehensive that the ATS would misuse these signatures. “Mirza is innocent and he has not given any confessional statement. If the investigating officers come up with any confession, it would not be that of Mirza,” said advocate Shaikh.

The ATS team arrested Mirza, an electrician by profession, from his house in Jogeshwari on May 11. Mansuri, a Gujarat-based man, was arrested on May 16. According to the ATS, the arrested accused were in touch with wanted accused Farooq Devadiwala alias Farooq Memon, who is Mirza’s cousin. The ATS informed the court that Memon, in conspiracy with some Pakistan-based terrorist outfits, planned to target VIPs, crowded places and essential services in Mumbai, Gujarat and UP.

According to the ATS, Memon first called Mirza to Sharjah and arranged an air-ticket for Mirza for Nairobi via Karachi in Pakistan. The agency has claimed that instead of going to Nairobi, Mirza got off at Karachi and stayed there. It is alleged that he underwent terror training for twelve days at a terrorist camp and learned how to make bombs, handle arms, carry out suicide attacks, cause fire etc.