Officials said on Wednesday that the Pune police have apprehended two individuals wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). This is in connection with a suspected terror-related case in Rajasthan. The two terror suspects, Mohammad Imran Mohammad Yunus Khan (23) and Mohammad Yunus Mohammad Yakub Saki (24), who work as graphic designers and hail from Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh, were presented before a local court, which remanded them to police custody until July 25. The police had previously announced a reward of ₹5 lakh for each of their captures.
According to police sources, the duo fled Ratlam after learning that they were being investigated in the terror case, which involved some suspected members of the Al-Sufa outfit apprehended by Rajasthan police in the Madhya Pradesh town. They sought refuge in Mumbai and temporarily resided in the Bhendi Bazaar area before moving to Pune’s Kondhwa area. With the assistance of a local resident, the terror suspects managed to secure jobs and earn ₹8,000 each. During this time, they befriended a third person from Jharkhand, who managed to escape when the police captured the two suspects.
The police stated that the three individuals were allegedly plotting bomb blasts in Jaipur. On Tuesday, a patrolling team in Pune’s Kothrud area apprehended the duo, along with another suspect, while they were attempting to steal a motorcycle. However, one of the suspects managed to flee. The Commissioner of Police, Retesh Kumarr, disclosed that the NIA had been searching for both men in connection with a terror-related case in Rajasthan, and they had been residing in Kondhwa for the past 16 months. A search of their residence led to the seizure of a live cartridge, two holsters, four mobile phones, and a laptop. The police are now investigating if the suspects were in possession of any firearms.
When questioned about any potential acts of terror planned for Pune, Kumarr stated that the details would be revealed during the investigation. The police are currently working on capturing the third suspect who escaped. Seeking custody for eight days, the police informed the court that the two men are wanted by the NIA in a case registered under the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The prosecution also mentioned that suspicious items such as a live cartridge, a magazine, the cover of a drone camera, “white coloured pills,” and a forged Aadhaar card were found in the suspects’ possession.
Although the defence counsel argued that further interrogation was unnecessary due to the existing case filed by Pune’s Kothrud police station, the court deemed the police custody necessary, considering the serious charges under the UAPA Act. As a result, the court remanded the suspects in police custody until July 25. The third suspect, who escaped, is reported to be from Jharkhand.
