The arrest of Mohd. Abrar Babu Khan, 32, by Maharashtra ATS on Monday is being viewed as a significant development by Central intelligence agencies here with highly-placed sources claiming that the dreaded terrorist was controlling the entire network of Indian Mujahideen and banned Simi in western and central India.
What is also significant is that the entire information on Khan and his two associates, Mohd. Shakir and Khalil Qureshi, was developed entirely by the Maharashtra ATS with little assistance from the Central intelligence agencies.
The Maharashtra ATS has in a report sent to the Centre on the arrest has stated that Khan was in constant touch with top leaders of Indian Mujahideen and Simi-like Abdul Subhan Qureshi, alias Tauqeer, Yasin Bhatkal and Abu Fazal. With Khan’s arrest, sources said, the terror network in Central and Western India has been severely crippled.
Interestingly, the ATS report goes on to state that during his custodial interrogation, Khan disclosed to the ATS sleuths that he and his associates have also been involved in a number of bank robberies in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh primarily to raise funds for their terror operations. This, officials claimed, was a relatively new modus operandi being used by terrorists.
Khan was caught following an encounter with the Maharashtra ATS in Aurangabad on Monday in which one of his associates, Mohd. Shakir, was killed while the other, Qureshi, was injured.
Investigations have also revealed that this module had developed a strong network of sleeper cell in Madhya Pradesh primarily with the help of Simi.
The information is being shared with the Madhya Pradesh police now.
Intelligence sources said Khan, along with Tauqeer of IM, is the mastermind behind the Ahmedabad blasts and is an expert in assembling explosives.
Khan has been active in areas like Aurangabad, Ujjain, Jalna and Buldhana.