Mumbai attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi was on Tuesday arrested just before his release following a Pakistani court's suspension of his detention under a public security order which had evoked a strong reaction from India.
Lakhvi was set to be freed from the Adaila Jail Rawalpindi on Tuesday morning on the order of the Islamabad High Court after he submitted Rs 1 million surety bond, but just before that the jail superintendent received an order from the government regarding his arrest in another case.
Lakhvi was then presented before a magistrate who remanded him in custody. Lakhvi's counsel Raja Rizwan Abbasi has protested against the government's decision.
Lakhvi had challenged his detention on December 26 under a public security order in the high court after the Pakistan government rejected his plea seeking release.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also summoned Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit to convey India’s displeasure with the Islamic Republic after the Islamabad High Court suspended the detention order of 26/11 terror attack accused Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.
The MEA, in a statement, said that the Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh has conveyed India's strong concern in the matter.
Meanwhile, Ujjwal Nikam, the prosecutor who led the trial in the 26/11 case, had said India should represent to the UN against a Pakistani court suspending the government's order detaining Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, a key planner of the terror attacks.
On December 18, Islamabad ATC Judge Zaidi had granted bail to Lakhvi citing lack of evidence against him in the Mumbai attacks case, but before he could be released from jail, the government had detained him for three more months under Public Maintenance Order in Adiala Jail where the trial is being held.
The ATC's order has cited "weak evidence, the registration of the FIR invoking irrelevant sections and hearsay evidence against the suspect" as the reasons for granting bail to Lakhvi. ATC Judge Zaidi in his written order said the evidence against 54-year-old accused was based on the statements of officials of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) which apparently were 'insufficient' to refuse him bail. The decision to grant bail to Lakhvi drew sharp criticism from India and surprised many for its timing, just days after Taliban massacred 148 people, mostly school children, in Peshawar.
Lakhvi and six other accused - Abdul Wajid, Mazhar Iqbal, Hamad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jameel Riaz, Jamil Ahmed and Younis Anjum -- have been charged with planning and executing the Mumbai attacks that took place on November 26, 2008, and left 166 people dead. The trial has been underway since 2009.
Also Read: All you need to know about Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi
India had strongly rejected Pakistan's contention about insufficient evidence against Mumbai attack mastermind Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi and asked it to ensure reversal of bail granted to him as Parliament expressed outrage over the development and condemned it.
Earlier, addressing the Lok Sabha, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had said, "We do not accept this theory that Lakhvi be released on bail. We reject the argument that the evidence against Lakhvi, who is the mastermind of 26/11, was not sufficient."
She further added, "By allowing bail to Lakhvi, Pakistan has made mockery of its pledge to fight terrorism without discrimination. We demand Pakistan immediately get this decision overturned."
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