The blasts accused PDP leader was arrested when he left his camp in Anwarsserry to surrender before a local court in Kollam.
The Karnataka police arrested People’s Democratic Party leader Abdul Nasser Madani in the 2008 Bangalore serial blasts case on Tuesday.
The 31st accused, Madani, was arrested around 1.20 pm, while leaving his camp at Anwarssery in Kerala’s Kollam district.
A posse of Kerala police in riot gear led by the superintendent of police in Kollam, Harshitha Attalluri, blocked the vehicle carrying Madani to facilitate the arrest.
Madani was arrested a few hours before a non-bailable warrant issued by a city court was to expire.
Bangalore deputy commissioner of police HM Omakaraiah executed the warrant against Madani. His senior, joint commissioner of police (crime) Alok Kumar, was also present.
The two officers reached Kerala on Monday, after a Karnataka police team, which had been camping in Kollam since August 10, could not arrest Madani.
Earlier, Madani announced at a press conference that he would surrender before a local magistrate court. He left his camp at an orphanage complex in Anwarssery, and was picked up by the police.
The arrest was incident free, except for sloganeering by PDP activists.
Madani reiterated his innocent at the press meet, and said the inclusion of his name in the additional chargesheet was a well-orchestrated conspiracy by several agencies including the Karnataka police and several political parties.
Adding several people wanted to destroy him, Madani said he was a law-abiding citizen.
The PDP leader, who was acquitted in the 1998 Coimbatore blasts case, said nobody had talked to him regarding the Bangalore explosions before or after the incident.
Madani requested that his arrest should not be construed as a Hindu-Muslim conflict, and asked his supporters to maintain peace. Police allowed Madani’s request to travel in his vehicle, with wife Soofiya and a close aide.
However, a police driver took over, and drove the vehicle to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, via Shasthamkotta and Kottarakkara, avoiding the National Highway.
Madani’s vehicle broke down on the way, and he was shifted to a police jeep.
He was flown out of Kerala to Bangalore by a 7.40 pm Kingfisher flight.
Police cleared about 20 protesting PDP activists, from the airport.
The Madani episode triggered doubts of straining relationship between Karnataka and Kerala.
With inputs from D Ram Raj
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