ATS announces Rs 10 lakh each for info on 4 ‘IM’ men

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Monday announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh each for information leading to the arrests of four alleged Indian Mujahideen (IM) operatives wanted in connection with the 13/7 Mumbai serial blasts and the August 2012 Pune blasts.

The four IM operatives, whose latest photographs were also released by the ATS, are Mohammed Ahmed Zarar Sidibappa alias Yasin Bhatkal alias Imran alias Shahrukh; Tahaseen Akhtar Wasim Akhtar Shaikh alias Monu alias Hasan; Abdullah Akhyar Javed Akhtar alias Haddi alias Tabrez alias Shakir alias Daniel; and Waqas alias Ahmed.

ATS says while Tahaseen is wanted only for the 13/7 Mumbai serial blasts, the others are wanted in connection with both the Mumbai and the Pune blast cases. Besides this, Tabrez and Yasin are also wanted for the Delhi, Ahmedabad, Surat, Bangalore and Hyderabad terror attacks in 2008.

Additional Director General of Police (ATS) Rakesh Maria insisted that the rewards were not being announced as a last ditch attempt after the ATS had exhausted all its leads.

"It is not because of a lack of leads. It is just that we have only now got the latest photographs of the accused. The modus operandi of these accused is to pretend to be students and stay in areas where students from outside the state usually stay. They usually indoctrinate locals and take their help to take places on rent. They did so for both the Mumbai and Pune blasts. We are circulating their posters in every district and to every unit in the country, as well as at railway stations and bus stops, so that people can become alert to this and inform us."

"The accused have used different aliases at different places. For instance one of the accused used the alias Tabrez while staying in Mumbai and Shakir while in Pune. We have got details of other places they have stayed at, and this will be a part of our chargesheet in the Pune blasts case," said Maria.

... contd.

ALSO READ

Delhi nursing graduate loses eye in acid attack at Bandra station

Worry and anger in Mumbai police after R R Patil snatches right to promote

MNS student wing demands question papers in Marathi

UN rapporteur comes calling, lends an ear to Ishrat's mother