New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) yesterday told a special court that suspected Indian Mujahideen operatives Tehsin Akhtar and Zia-Ur-Rahman are “still conspiring” to carry out terror attacks in prominent places in India, including Delhi.
“Both accused had conspired and are still conspiring to commit terrorist acts by making preparation for targeting prominent places, especially the national capital Delhi,” NIA apprised the court in its plea seeking extension of the period of investigation against them to 180 days.
The NIA told District Judge I S Mehta that they had sent letters rogatory to Nepal to collect reliable evidence against the suspects and had also contacted authorities in another country from where they had received money.
The court extended the judicial custody of the accused until August 14 and posted the matter to hear NIA’s plea today.
The NIA told the court that during investigation, “it has also come into picture that the said accused persons are functioning with the aid and support from Pakistan-based operatives”.
Tehsin was arrested on March 25 near the India-Nepal border in West Bengal while Waqas was arrested outside the Ajmer railway station on March 22.
RAIPUR: A massive blast at an explosives factory in central India killed five workers early yesterday, police said.
The powerful explosion completely destroyed the factory, which supplied detonators and other explosives to mines in the mineral-rich state of Chhattisgarh.
“The explosion was so powerful that the entire cement building was totally destroyed and the victims’ bodies blown to pieces,” local police officer Gurjinder Pal Singh said. Police are investigating what caused the blast.
Factory accidents are common, often caused by a failure to comply with safety standards. A poisonous gas leak at one of India’s largest steel plants in Chhattisgarh killed six people and injured more than 31 in June.
Agencies
