The Mumbai police might soon get custody of Rahil Ata-ur-Rehman Shaikh, a key suspect in the 11/7 train blasts, who has been detained by Interpol in London.
Shaikh is accused of organising the funding for the 2006 Mumbai terror operation that left 187 people dead and hundreds injured. He is also believed to have provided communications training to the other accused.
“The UK police have sought papers pertaining to his involvement in the blasts,” a senior officer of the Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS) said on the condition of anonymity. “We have an extradition treaty with the UK and hope to get Rahil’s custody soon.”
The MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) court in Mumbai had issued a non-bailable warrant against Shaikh and proclaimed him an absconder.
According to the officer, the UK police tracked Shaikh down to Birmingham earlier this month on the basis of a red-corner notice issued against him. The UK government then alerted the Central Bureau of Investigation on November 10, which in turn asked the Mumbai Police on November 14 to prepare a dossier on Shaikh.
Joint commissioner of police (crime) Rakesh Maria said all the relevant documents had been submitted to officials in New Delhi on Tuesday. The crime branch is the nodal authority in the state for all Interpol-related work.
Shaikh, who used to stay at Mira Road, hails from Pune. He is the youngest brother of prime 117 blasts suspects Faisal Shaikh and Muzammil Shaikh, both of whom are in jail.
According to the police, Shaikh worked with a leading information technology firm in Bangalore for six months. In 2004, he took up a job with another IT firm in Pune. The company sent him to the UK from where he went to Dubai.
“In Dubai, he was in touch with Rizwan Daware (another suspect wanted in the train blasts case). Rahil and Daware were instrumental in sending funds for the terror operations to Faisal through havala,” the officer said.
According to the ATS officer, Shaikh was the link between Faisal and Lashkar-e-Taiyaba commander Azam Cheema. Cheema, who is wanted by police in India, had organised a training camp for the blasts accused in Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
Seven blasts using RDX and ammonium nitrate packed in pressure cookers were set off on Mumbai local trains on July 11, 2006. The trial in the case has been stayed by the Supreme Court following a petition filed by the suspects claiming that they were wrongfully arrested under the MCOCA.
s_somendranath@dnaindia.net
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