Mecca Masjid blast case: Accused sent for 10-day CBI custody

A city court today granted 10-day police custody of Lokesh Sharma, one of the accused in the 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case, to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Sharma will be in CBI's custody from tomorrow till July 9. The XIV ACMM court passed the orders after CBI filed a petition yesterday seeking custodial interrogation of Sharma in connection with the Mecca Masjid blast case.

After completion of Test Identification Parade of Sharma, CBI prayed the court to remand him to custody with CBI for a period of 15-days, saying questioning of Sharma can throw more light and help in investigations to arrive at the truth in the case. However, the court permitted 10-day police custody.

Another accused Devender Gupta, who allegedly conspired to carry out explosion in the Mecca Masjid, is presently under custody of CBI till June 30.

Gupta and Sharma were brought to Hyderabad by CBI from Ajmer on June 17, as part of further investigation into the Mecca Masjid blast that had left nine persons dead on May 18, 2007 and the duo are presently under judicial remand. 

The premier investigating agency, which is probing the Mecca Masjid blast, had registered a case on June 9, 2007 under various sections of IPC and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and has so far named five persons (all having alleged links with RSS) including Gupta and Sharma as accused in the case.