Delhi blast case: 3 detained in Nainital released after interrogation
They were questioned on the basis of call records, but the security agency did not find anything suggesting their involvement in the Delhi case
Dehradun: Three people, including a cleric of a local mosque, detained by central security agencies in Nainital in connection with the Delhi blast case were released after interrogation, people aware of the matter said.
Nainital senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manjunath TC, said, “The Police, STF (special task force), and a central agency questioned two individuals from the Banbhulpura area in Haldwani, and necessary information was collected on various aspects related to national security. Similarly, one person was questioned in the Tallital area of Nainital. After jointly conducting detailed questioning on multiple points and aspects concerning these individuals, they were released.”
A senior Uttarakhand Police officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said, “Two people, including a maulana, were detained around 1 am on Saturday for questioning and were later allowed to leave in the evening. Similarly, one person was questioned in the Tallital area and was also released after interrogation. They were questioned on the basis of call records, and their devices were examined, but the security agency did not find anything suggesting their involvement in the Delhi case.”
It came days after the Uttarakhand Police began a probe into possible connections in the state of the accused arrested for the Delhi blast earlier this month, a senior police official said.
A senior police officer on the condition of anonymity said, “We are looking into the possible connections, links, and movement of the accused that have come to light in the Delhi blast. If anything concrete is found, we will share it with the probe agency NIA (National Investigation Agency). We have obtained the accused’s mobile phone and are checking if they were in touch with anyone from the state.”
“However, no linkage to the state with regard to the Delhi blast has come to light so far,” he said.
Additional director general of police (intelligence) Abhinav Kumar said, “If any assistance is sought from the Uttarakhand police regarding the investigation of the Delhi blast, we will provide it.”
“We have also issued an alert in the state till December 6,” he said.
Senior superintendent of police (STF) Navneet Singh Bhullar did not respond to calls from HT.
On November 10, a massive blast rocked Delhi on Monday evening when a slow-moving Hyundai i20 car exploded at 6.52pm near the Red Fort, killing 13 people and injuring several others.
Earlier, agencies had busted a “white collar terror module” with links to terrorist outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, and spread across Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. They had seized 2,900 kg of explosive substances and arrested eight people, including three doctors linked to Al Falah University.
Three individuals, including a cleric, detained in Nainital related to the Delhi blast case were released after interrogation, as no evidence linked them to the incident. Uttarakhand Police is investigating potential connections of the accused with the state following a deadly blast in Delhi that killed 13. An alert has been issued until December 6.