Bengaluru: The National Investigating Agency (NIA) special court on Friday remanded two suspected Student Islamic Movement of India (Simi) operatives, Umer Siddiqui and Haider Ali, in police custody till March 7 for their interrogation in connection with the Church Street blast case.
Sources said the police intend to get information from them about Simi modules assigned to carry out blasts in South India. The Bengaluru police produced the suspects before the NIA special court on Friday morning and filed an application seeking their custody for inquiry.
The court directed the police not to question the accused between 8 pm and 8 am.
The special court also directed the police to produce the accused on March 7. A senior police officer said Siddiqui and Ali will be flown back to Patna on March 10 for them to be present before the NIA special court in Patna for the next date of hearing on March 19.
The two men are part of the Ranchi module of Simi and are facing trial in both Bodh Gaya and Patna rally blast cases. An official said the NIA special court in Patna had completed the recording of evidences.
Ali also had contacts with the Indian Mujahideen. Referred to as ‘Black Beauty’ by Simi leaders, Ali was the first to be arrested in connection with the Patna blast in 2013. The investigations into both Bodh Gaya and Patna blasts revealed that Siddiqui, who was arrested later, was the mastermind of the blast.
“Siddiqui was arrested in Raipur and considered to be the key man in several Simi modules. Ali was in constant touch with Siddiqui during both the blasts. We suspect the involvement of Simi activists in the Church Street blasts, and as key operatives of Simi, Ali and Siddiqui can throw more light on the possible raising of modules in south India,” an official said.
