Indian Mujahideen (IM) co-founder Yasin Bhatkal could have been in the net of security agencies way back in 2009 but he successfully managed to free himself from Kolkata Police after being arrested in a theft case by concealing his identity, NIA has said.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA), in its second charge sheet filed against Bhatkal and his aides, said Bhatkal had visited Kolkata in 2009 along with suspected IM operative Qateel Siddiqui, who had died inside Pune’s Yerawada central jail in June 2012, to build his network there.
The probe agency said Kolkata Police had arrested him in connection with a petty theft case but Bhatkal concealed his identity and freed himself from the clutches of law.
“Accused Md Ahmed Siddibapa (Yasin) also visited Kolkata in 2009 along with one Qateel Siddiqui and stayed at the residence of one Humayun for the furtherance of the activities of the IM. During his stay at Kolkata, he tried to build his network there and was arrested on suspicion in a case of theft by the Kolkata Police,” the NIA has said.
“During arrest, he revealed his assumed identity as Md. Arshad which was found to be non-existent, thus proving that the accused has been assuming new identities to conceal his actual identity,” it said.
NIA also alleged that Bhatkal had made “extensive efforts” for recruitment of new cadres for IM in Bhatkal in Karnataka and Darbhanga in Bihar.
It also said that Bhatkal established a safe hideout in Shaheen Bagh after the Batla House encounter on September 19, 2008 and also had his hideouts in Darbhanga, Samastipur and Madhubani in Bihar.
