Wait till July 5 to apply for Ansari custody: Delhi court to police

Ansari was arrested from the Indira Gandhi International Airport on June 21. He was later remanded in the custody of the Delhi Police Special Cell as he was booked by them under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and the Passport Act.

“The Delhi Police told the court that they need the custody of Ansari for the cases in which he is booked there. The court told us to wait till July 5 before we can apply for custody. Our warrant has been reserved till then,” said Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Niket Kaushik.

Crime Branch sources said they are expecting Ansari’s custody soon,but several other police agencies,including the NIA,are said to be waiting to interrogate him. Sources also revealed that there was a possibility that the NIA would want Ansari in their custody after his remand with the Delhi Police ends.

“While the NIA may want his custody next,the main 26/11 case lies with us. We are hopeful of getting Ansari’s custody next,” said a Crime Branch officer,who did not wish to be named.

Kaushik said Ansari would be provided high security once he is brought to Mumbai. “We will have to ensure that he is kept securely when we get his custody. Several steps will have to be taken to ensure he remains protected,” he said.

Crime Branch sources had said on Tuesday that the police would have to verify the identity of the arrested person despite the fact that central agencies had said he was Jundal.

“Voice samples,which were secured during the 26/11 attack and that reveal a person speaking to the terrorists and using several Hindi words,will have to be matched with that of Ansari. We will also have to go through his known list of associates and people he came in contact with when he was here,” said Kaushik.

“The arrested person may have several aliases. Our work is to go through all aliases to prove his possible involvement. We need to interrogate him in connection with the 26/11 case,” he added.