New Delhi, August 30
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) was today allowed 12-day custody of Indian Mujahideen (IM) co-founder Yasin Bhatkal and his associate Asadulla Akhtar by a Delhi court.

Before being flown to Delhi, NIA officials interrogated Bhatkal and Asadulla in Patna where the top IM operative reportedly confessed to his links with Pakistan’s premier spy agency, the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), a TV channel reported. He also told his interrogators he had been living in Nepal for six months and had readied around 100 hardcore associates who could do anything at his bidding.

In Delhi, the NIA sought 14-day custody of both Bhatkal and Asadulla.

“Both are required for custodial interrogation in the instant case (pertaining to the activities of the IM), to unearth the larger conspiracy to effect recoveries related to the case and getting leads for the arrest of other absconding co-accused (10). The two accused are also required to be taken to various places in and outside Delhi for the recovery of material evidence in the case,” read the NIA application.

The agency brought Yasin and Asadulla to the Special NIA court of District and Sessions Judge I S Mehta. Heavy security arrangements were put in place for the in-camera proceedings.

“The accused have been produced before the court on the issuance of non-bailable warrants (NBW) on July 18. In the present application (filed by the NIA), it is stated that Mohammed Ahmed Siddibappa is Yasin Bhatkal and he is the same person against whom the NBWs were issued. In these circumstances, and looking into the contents of the application, I grant police custody to the NIA for 12 days for further investigation,” ordered Judge Mehta.

Besides Yasin and Asadulla, the court had also issued NBWs against 10 more suspected IM terrorists on July 18 this year.