NIA begins probe in Malegaon’s ‘fake bomb’

Mateen Hafeez/tnn

Mumbai: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday (May 26) began probe into the fake bomb which was found on the staircase of Mohammediya Mosque on September 13, 2006. The bomb did not explode and was defused by the bomb detection officials.

The Malegaon police had, in 2006, arrested two persons; Noor-ul-Huda and Raees Rajjab Ali, for the fake bombs. Later, the duo was also booked for the Malegaon’s serial bomb blasts which killed 31 and injured 297 others. “The NIA team visited Malegaon three days ago and has been roaming in the city go get familiar with the location and is busy in case study,” said a source from the NIA.

Khaleel Abbas, a journalist from Malegaon, was first to alert the police about the fake bomb. “I had called up the police which later cordoned off the entire area and the bomb was defused,” said Abbas. Initially the bomb was termed as a fake one. Later, the Nasik forensic science laboratory said they had found the traces of RDX in the material. A few wires and timers were connected to each other and kept in a box filled with mud. “This is the first time an agency is paying concentration on the fake bomb case too,” said Abbas.

NIA team pays visit to Malegaon

Mateen Hafeez TNN

Mumbai: A five-member team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which took over the investigation of the 2006 and 2008 Malegaon bomb blasts, on Monday visited the Muslim cemetery in the textile town for the first time.

In April, both the bomb blast cases were handed over to the NIA which is already probing the role of saffron groups in various blasts. “The NIA team first did a survey of the cemetery and spoke to the imam of the Hameediya mosque, Maulana Abdul Bari. This case pertains to the September 8, 2006 blast in Malegaon when four RDX bombs had killed 31 people. The police had arrested nine Muslim boys alleging they were behind the blasts. After agitation by local residents, the case was handed over to the CBI which could not make any breakthrough.


The Times of India, May 24, 2011

MALEGAON BLASTS - NIA asked to submit findings

Mateen Hafeez TNN

Mumbai: The special court hearing the Malegaon blasts case on Saturday directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to inform the court about the investigations being carried by the agency through a proper notification.

“The NIA sought permission for further investigation into the Malegaon blast case,” said Irfana Hamdani, one of the advocated representing the accused. The court also instructed the CBI to submit its investigation report by May 13. The CBI had in January sought permission for further probe into the 2006 blasts. The case was later transferred to the NIA in April.


The Times of India, May 8, 2011