Hyd: Mecca Masjid blast accused sent to jail

A Hyderabad court on Wednesday sent Devender Gupta, an accused in the 2007 Mecca Masjid bomb blast, to 14-day judicial custody.

He was produced before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court after completion of his 10-day Central Bureau of Investigation custody.

Nine persons were killed in the blast on May 18, 2007. Meanwhile, CBI filed an application seeking 10-day extension of Gupta's custody, stating the investigation in the three-year-old case was still underway.

"There are so many witnesses to be examined and confronted with statements give by the accused. The investigation was still on and extension of Gupta's custody by 10 more days is needed," CBI senior counsel T V Ramana argued.

The defence counsel said he will file a counter to the CBI's petition and requested the court for some time.

The judge then adjourned the matter to tomorrow and sent Gupta in judicial custody. Gupta, brought to the court amidst heavy security, was later taken to Chanchalguda Central Prison. Another accused, Lokesh Sharma, was on Tuesday sent in 10-day CBI remand.

Gupta and Sharma were brought here from Ajmer on June 17 by CBI as part of its further probe into the explosion. CBI has till now named five persons (all allegedly linked to Hindutva outfits), including Gupta and Sharma, as accused.