LeT operative Bilal get judicial custody

Suspected Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative Shaikh Lalbaba Mohammed Hussain alias Bilal, arrested for allegedly carrying out recce of security establishments in Nashik, was remanded in 14 days of judicial custody by a local court.

Judicial Magistrate S S Oja sent Bilal to judicial remand after he was presented by ATS squad on expiry of his police custody, public prosecutor Ajay Misar told reporters. Bilal, also a suspect in the Pune blast, was in police custody from September 8 to October 2. As his identification period is yet to be conducted, the court has sent him in the judicial custody, he said.

Bilal was arrested on September 8 from Subash Chandra Bose Marg in Nashik by the Maharashtra ATS under the provisions of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. He had recced three security establishments - Nashik Police Commissionerate, Maharashtra Police Academy and Army camp at Deolal.

He was recruited by Mirza Himayat Baig, head of Maharashtra LeT module, who was also arrested from Mahatma Gandhi bus stand in Pune on the same day in connection with Pune German Bakery blast left 17 dead and 56 injured.

Police had said Bilal visited LeT camps in Pakistan between January 2008 and early 2010 where he received advanced training in use of sophisticated weapons and making bombs. He had sneaked into India thrice during the period through Bangladesh and Nepal border, police said.

Baig, who allegedly instructed Bilal to recce the places here and is presently under judicial custody in Pune, is also likely to produced in Nashik court, they said.