Probe Agency Gets Custody Of Five Arrested In ISIS Module Case

A Delhi court today extended the NIA custody of five of the 10 people arrested on suspicion of being members of an ISIS-inspired group who were allegedly planning suicide attacks and serial blasts, targeting politicians as also government installations, in Delhi and other parts of north India.

The court remanded the other five accused in judicial custody after the agency said they were not required for custodial interrogation.

The court extended the NIA custody of Mufti Mohammed Suhail alias Hazrath (29) and Saqib Iftekar (26) till January 12.

Zubair Malik (20), Rashid Zafar Raq alias Zafar (23) and Anas Yunus (24) were sent to further custodial interrogation till January 10.

The others -- Zubair's brother Zaid (22), Saeed alias Sayeed (28), his brother Raees Ahmad, Mohammed Irshad (in late 20s) and Mohammed Azam (35) -- were sent to judicial custody till February till February after the NIA did not seek their further remand.

Advocate Prashant Prakash, appearing for the accused, opposed the NIA plea for further custodial interrogation, saying there was no fresh ground. The 10 accused were produced by NIA before Special Judge Rakesh Syal, who ordered in-camera proceedings.

They were earlier produced before the court on December 27 after which they were sent to 10-day NIA custody, which will expire tomorrow.

They were arrested on December 26 after NIA carried out searches, in coordination with special cell of Delhi Police and Anti-Terrorism Squad of Uttar Pradesh Police, at six places in Jafrabad, Seelampur in Delhi, and 11 places in Uttar Pradesh - six in Amroha, two in Lucknow, two in Hapur and two in Meerut.

According to NIA, a locally-made rocket launcher, material for suicide vests, 12 pistols, several rounds of live ammunition and 112 alarm clocks to be used as timers were recovered from the searches.

The agency had also said it recovered 25 kg of explosive material -- potassium nitrate, ammonium nitrate and sulphur.

The group allegedly had also purchased remote control cars and wireless doorbells to use their circuits in assembling remote controlled improvised explosive devices.