New Delhi: A tug of war was today witnessed in a Delhi court between the National Investigation Agency and the Special Cell of Delhi Police for seeking the custody of top Indian Mujahideen operatives Tehseen Akhtar and Zia-ur-Rehman alias Waqas.
The special cell sought 15 days police custody of Akhtar alias Monu, Waqas and three other suspected IM operatives in connection with an illegal arms factory case but NIA countered their submissions, saying they need to take custody of Akhtar and Waqas in the 2013 Hyderabad's Dilsukhnagar blasts case.
As soon as the proceeding began before Additional Sessions Judge Daya Prakash, NIA told the court that being a federal central agency, they have the right to formally arrest both the accused wanted in the blasts case.
The special cell, however, opposed NIA's submissions saying the probe agency cannot curtail the rights of the local police to investigate any case.
“You cannot curtail the rights of the local police in the name of NIA Act... NIA is only seeing the gravity of their case but they are not seeing the gravity of our case,” special cell prosecutor Rajiv Mohan said.
