Naqi staff under ‘house arrest’

Mateen Hafeez TNN

Mumbai: The leather bag manufacturing unit of Mohammed Naqi, who has been accused of cheating, has been converted into a fortress after the Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad (ATS) deployed personnel in huge numbers, putting all workers and his relatives under virtual house arrest.

Naqi was detained by the squad’s Maharashtra unit on January 8 and later booked for forgery. The personnel are allegedly using Naqi’s office as their own. “They are not allowing anyone to meet Naqi’s brothers, Razi and Rafi. We don’t know if they have any authority,” a source said. The team, equipped with a laptop and several cell phones, is doing its office work from the unit. “Even customers are facing problems. When someone comes, the personnel make inquiries. It’s affecting business,” the source said.

Naqi, remanded to police custody till January 23, allegedly provided shelter to Indian Mujahideen operative, Yaseen Bhatkal alias Imran, and two others who were initially suspected to be Pakistani nationals. The ATS claimed that Bhatkal along with the two carried out the July 13 blasts last year that killed 27 and injured scores.

The Times of India, January 21, 2012