New Delhi: The Pakistani terrorist, Mohd Asraf, who was arrested by Delhi Police's Special Cell on Tuesday, had conducted recce at 10 places in the national capital, said sources.
"During interrogation when a photograph of an accused in the 2011 Delhi High Court blast was shown to him, he disclosed that he had done a recce of the High court. However, his involvement in the blast cannot be stated clearly. It will be clarified on further investigation. There is no evidence as of now," sources close to the developments told ANI.
Apart from this, Asraf had also done a recce of the Police Headquarters (Old Police Headquarters) located at ITO. "He revealed that he has done a lot of recces but not much information could be gained as he was not allowed to stop outside the police headquarters for much duration. He had also done a recce of ISBT and information was sent to Pakistani handlers," sources said. It was also revealed by Asraf that he did a recce at India Gate and Red Fort as well. "He has said that he did a recce at 10 places," sources said.
"In the interrogation, he said that VIP areas were not among the targets as casualty would have been less. All these recce were done a few years ago. He has not revealed as yet the places where he wanted to undertake a terrorist operation," they added. At present, the investigating agencies are interrogating him about whether he has been involved in any blast in Delhi.
Mohd Asraf, a resident of Pakistan's Punjab province was held from Laxmi Nagar. Police had seized an AK-47 rifle from his possession among other things including a grenade and pistols.
Modus operandi
He had obtained forged Indian national ID from a village sarpanch in Bihar, informed sources. The accused revealed in the interrogation that he entered India by first going to Bangladesh and then travelling to Kolkata in West Bengal. He visited Ajmer Sharif, where he met people from Bihar whom he accompanied to their village and took refuge there. In Bihar, he gained the trust of a sarpanch and obtained his Indian national ID from him
He had obtained forged Indian national ID from a village sarpanch in Bihar, informed sources. They said that the accused revealed in the interrogation that he entered India by first going to Bangladesh and then travelling to Kolkata in West Bengal. He visited Ajmer Sharif, where he met people from Bihar whom he accompanied to their village and took refuge there. "In Bihar, he gained the trust of a sarpanch and obtained his Indian national ID from him," said sources.
After the arrest, relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Explosive Act, Arms Act and other provisions have been invoked against the man.
The terrorist was remanded to14-day police custody after being brought to the Patiala House Court on Tuesday afternoon. A day earlier, he had been arrested in Delhi with arms and ammunition. He was reportedly trained by Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI and was living as an Indian citizen with an assumed name and fake identity card.
He was arrested from Ramesh Park in Delhi's Laxmi Nagar area. One AK-47 assault rifle with one extra magazine and 60 rounds, one hand grenade, 2 sophisticated pistols with 50 rounds seized.
According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police Special Cell Pramod Kushwaha, the Pakistani national had been living in India for more than a decade. "Initial probe revealed his involvement as sleeper cell, orchestrating subversive activities," he told the media.
