Sources say the man was in touch with now-arrested Zakir Shaikh; agency raids more places in city, Thane, Nanded and Beed
ATS sources said Zakir Shaikh (above) had given money and a memory card to Mohammad Irfan, who was arrested on Wednesday; (righ) Dharavi resident Jan Mohammed was arrested last month
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad has arrested a tailor from Khar East as part of its ongoing probe into an alleged conspiracy to launch terror attacks in the city and other places. Suspect Mohammad Irfan Rahmat Ali Shaikh, 50, was in touch with one of the arrested men, said sources. On Thursday, ATS raided many places in the city, Thane, Nanded and Beed and there could be more arrests, they said.
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Sources said Mohammad Irfan, who stitches women’s clothes, was picked from Kherwadi Road on Wednesday. He is apparently close to Zakir Shaikh, a D-Gang operative, who was earlier arrested by the agency along with another man. These arrests come after the Delhi police busted a suspected terror module and took 6 people, including Dharavi resident Jaan Mohammed, into custody last month.
Mohammad Irfan is alleged to have received '50,000 from Pakistan through hawala which he had handed over to Zakir. ATS sources said the money had been sent by Zakir’s younger brother Shagir Shaikh who operates from Karachi. Pak spy agency ISI had drafted the Dawood gang for the terror plot, say Indian agencies.
During its investigation, ATS learnt that Zakir Shaikh had a memory card that possibly contains important clues related to the terror operation. After the arrest of Jaan Mohammad, Zakir feared he could land behind bars. He then gave Rs 49,000 and the memory card to Mohammad Irfan for safe custody. ATS has recovered the money, memory stick and some Urdu literature from the home of Mohammad Irfan, where he lived with his wife, three sons and a daughter.
Sources said Zakir and another arrested person had been sent to judicial custody. After officers got fresh clues, they again got the custody of the two. “Call data records of Zakir Shaikh revealed that Mohammad Irfan was in touch with him. The two had met on the day Zakir was arrested by the ATS,” said a source.
Mohammad Irfan was produced in a UAPA court on Thursday. The agency told the court, “Some Urdu literature has been recovered from Shaikh [Mohammad Irfan], which has to be translated and understood.” ATS said it needed to question Mohammad Irfan and Zakir Shaikh face-to-face.
The court remanded Mohammad Irfan and Zakir Shaikh in ATS custody till October 4 and directed it to get the seized Urdu literature translated through an authorised translator and submit it.
Rs 49,000
Money recovered from Mohammad Irfan
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