NIA can quiz Mumbai blasts accused in Delhi HC blast: MCOCA court

A special MCOCA court on Friday granted permission to the NIA to question the four accused, arrested for their alleged role in the Mumbai blasts of July 13, 2011, in connection with the blast outside Delhi high court in September last year.

The National Investigating Agency (NIA) had moved an application seeking permission before a magistrate court. However, before the application could come up for hearing, the ATS invoked MCOCA in the case, after which, a fresh application was filed before the MCOCA court.

"The court has allowed the NIA to question the accused for seven days," said special NIA prosecutor Rohini Salian.

The four suspected Indian Mujahideen (IM) operatives, namely, Naquee Ahmed, Nadeem Shaikh, Kanwar Pathrija and Haroon Naik, were arrested by Maharashtra ATS in connection with the three blasts that rocked Mumbai last July, killing 27 persons.

In Delhi, an explosive-laden briefcase exploded on September 7, 2011 outside the High Court, leaving 15 persons dead and 79 injured.