Pune blast mastermind had put up near city police HQ

ATS: Baig Was In Mumbai To Buy Bomb Ingredients

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: Anti-Terrorism Squad officials on Thursday said that Pune blast’s prime suspect, Mirza Himayat Baig, had come to Mumbai to buy a cellphone and a rexine bag days before German Bakery was rocked by an explosion. “The mobile was used in the blast as a timer and the bag was used to carry explosives,’’ said the officials.

Interestingly, Baig, while in Mumbai, stayed in a guest house which is located close to the Mumbai police’s HQ. While only Baig (29) has been arrested in this case, two others are still at large, officials said.

“Baig had come to Mumbai in a private bus just before the blast. He identified himself as Yusuf and stayed in a guest house for Rs 180 a day near Crawford Market area. We have seized the (guest house’s) register,’’ said ATS chief Rakesh Maria. “While Baig visited several places in south Mumbai, we are still trying to find out if it was for carrying out a recce,’’ an official said.

Baig, said police sources, had procured nine blank caste certificates from the authorities which could have been used to get admission for his boys (new recruits) in various institutions to avoid suspicion. “He also managed to procure a fake driving licence in the name of one Prakash Bung,’’ an officer said.

Besides this, the police claimed to have seized three original election identity cards. “The cards contained Baig’s photos under various names like Imamuddin Shaikh, Khayyum Shaikh and Ahmed Baig. The age in these IDs have been shown 29, 30 and 31 years. We are checking who had issued these IDs (in Udgir, Latur) and will summon the authorities for questioning,’’ said a senior officer. Moreover, Baig allegedly possessed a handicapped person’s ID. “In this card, his disability was mentioned as ‘speech and hearing impairment’. This card was issued in the name of Ahmed Baig by the Samaj Kalyan office in Latur,’’ the officer added.

“We have identified the agents who helped Baig to procure the election IDs and our teams in Pune, Udgir, Beed, Akola, Aurangabad and Mumbai are working on the leads,’’ the official said.

FOOT IN MOUTH
Reacting to ATS deputy IG R G Kadam’s statement that it was not Mirza Himayat Baig, but one Mohsin Chaudhary, a wanted accused, who carried out the Pune blast, ATS chief Rakesh Maria said, “It was Baig who went to Pune with the explosives and was present there when the bomb was being planted. Kadam said something by mistake since he was not aware of the facts.’’ Kadam on Wednesday had told a private TV channel that Baig never went to Pune.

The Times of India, September 17, 2010