KOCHI: Abdul Subhan Qureshi, founding member of Indian Mujahideen, was produced before the NIA Court in Kochi in connection with the Wagamon SIMI camp case on Monday. Qureshi was brought from Ahmedabad on Sunday evening.
Ahead of producing Qureshi before the court, high-security arrangements have been put in place at the NIA Court and its premises. City Police Bomb Squad along with armed police team were deployed as part of the security arrangement at the court premises.
"Qureshi was brought via road route from Ahmedabad by the Gujarat Police team led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police. Two vehicles of Gujarat Police were tasked to bring him to Kochi. After reaching Kochi on Sunday night he was lodged at District Jail," said an NIA officer.
The 35th accused in Wagamon SIMI camp case, Qureshi was remanded to judicial custody till May 21 by the NI Court in Kochi. He underwent a medical examination at a government hospital in Kochi and was shifted to Viyyoor Central Jail in Thrissur.
NIA will approach the court for conducting an identification parade. "After filing a petition for conducting the identification parade before NIA Court, the court will forward it to Ernakulam Chief Judicial Magistrate Court which will task a magistrate to conduct an identification parade. We will file the petition of identification parade next day," said an NIA officer.
Only after completing the identification parade, NIA will seek the custody of Qureshi. "We have to take him to Thangalpara in Wagamon where the armed training held. He was the treasurer of SIMI when SIMI camp held at Wagamon as preparation to Ahmedabad blast in 2007. We have to interrogate him related to funding for the armed training," an NIA officer said. A native of Maharastra, Qureshi was arrested from New Delhi in January when he returned from Saudi Arabia with a mission to revive the Indian Mujahideen.
He has played a crucial role in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blast. He is also wanted by various state agencies for terrorism-related cases in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Qureshi was the treasurer of SIMI when the Wagamon SIMI camp took place in 2007.
Wagamon SIMI Camp Case Verdict
The NIA Court will deliver verdict in Wagamon SIMI camp case on May 14. The case was posted for the final order on Monday was rescheduled to announce the verdict on May 14.
The trial which commenced two years back is first of its kind in which the accused were examined through video-conferencing system connecting jails in Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Bengaluru and New Delhi, where accused in the case are lodged.
As many as 35 accused persons are facing trial in the case. So far 78 prosecution witnesses and five defence witnesses were examined.