ATS probing dark green clothes ‘used for training’ seized from man held in Pune for ‘LeT’ links

A court in Pune had earlier granted police the custody of Mohammed Junaid till June 3. As the custody period expired on Friday, ATS sleuths produced him before the court along with another suspect, Aftab Hussain Abdul Jabbar Shah (28), a carpenter arrested in this case on Thursday from Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

Besides Junaid and Shah, ATS has booked two more suspects identified as Hamidullah Zargar and Umar, both from J&K, in this offence lodged at the Kalachowki police station, Mumbai, under sections 121 (a), 153 (a) and 116 of the Indian Penal Code and sections of the Information Technology (IT) Act.

A native of Khamgaon taluka in Buldhana district of Maharashtra, Junaid worked at the shop of a scrap dealer at Dapodi in Pune. Prosecution lawyer Vijay Fargade sought extension in his custody by four days.

ATS submitted before the court that “dark green colour fullpant (trouser)” and “two shirts with full sleeves, shoulder strips and double pockets that can be used for training” had been recovered from Junaid’s residence. “It is essential to investigate from where he purchased or got these clothes stitched,” ATS stated, while seeking extension of his custody.

According to the ATS, Junaid was allegedly a part of a suspicious WhatsApp group titled “Ansar Gazawat-ul Hind Tawheed” created by the wanted accused Zargar. ATS alleged that “anti-national” content was being posted since 2021 in this group and that its members were “provoked”. The title of the messenger group, “Ansar Gazawat-ul Hind Tawheed”, matches with the name of a faction, “Ansar Gazawat-ul Hind”, which is alleged to have links with the LeT.

During investigation, ATS claimed to have recovered five mobile handsets from Junaid. The investigation officer, assistant commissioner of police Arun Waykar, told the court that Junaid procured 11 SIM cards for creating and using “seven WhatsApp and 15 Facebook accounts”. The officer said the accused was in contact with hundreds of members through these social media accounts, which “needs to be investigated”.

ATS has also alleged that Junaid received two transfers of Rs 5,000 each from the other accused persons, for carrying out terrorist acts.

Following leads obtained during Junaid’s interrogation, ATS arrested Shah from J&K and seized three cell phones, diary, bank account passbook and other material from his possession. ATS sources said that Kishtwar-born Shah is suspected to be the link between Junaid and an LeT operative based in a foreign country.

ATS team headed by assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Sunil Tambe produced him before a court in Pune on Friday and sought his custody, saying they want to confront him with Junaid. ATS told the court that they are gathering information about the “module” of the arrested and wanted accused persons allegedly working for the LeT by recruiting new members, financial transactions and providing weapon training. ATS also alleged the accused persons wanted to carry out terror strikes at crowded locations and probe is on to know whether they conducted recce of any sensitive place in the country.

Junaid’s lawyer Hafiz Kazi and advocate Yashpal Purohit, who represented Shah, opposed granting police the custody of the accused persons. The lawyers argued that the accused were arrested under IPC sections and not booked under any special laws. The court of special judge S R Navandar extended Junaid’s custody till June 7 and granted the police Shah’s custody till June 14.