Masood murder: Another accused remanded to CBI custody

Ifran, another accused in the Right to Information activist Shehla Masood murder case, was on Friday produced before the Special Central Bureau of Investigation court which remanded him to agency's custody up to March 16.

Irfan was brought to Indore by the Uttar Pradesh police on a production warrant, and was produced in the court of Special Judicial Magistrate, Dr Shubra Singh, after he was formally arrested under section 302 (murder) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) in the Masood case, said CBI lawyer Hemant Shukla.

The central agency sought his custody for interrogation. The Magistrate, while granting Irfan's custody, directed CBI not to "torture" the accused, and also directed the latter to cooperate with investigation.

The court also directed the CBI to get him medically examined and submit the report.

Irfan was arrested by UP police in connection with the Masood murder case, and during the investigation he allegedly revealed that it was the Bhopal-based interior designer Zahida Pervez who had hired him through Saqib Danger for eliminating Shehla.

Irfan allegedly told the interrogators that it was Shanu Aulanga who shot Shehla on August 16, 2011 in Bhopal. Aulanga was later killed at Kanpur in an encounter.

CBI has already arrested Pervez, her close associate Saba Faroqui, and Saqib. Another accused, Salim, is still at large. The court has already allowed the CBI to subject the three accused to a polygraph test.