When Yasin Bhatkal faced arrest by the Kolkata police’s special task force (STF) for the first time in his life four years ago, he did not lose faith in himself.
He remained “cool” and “mentally strong.” That is how STF’s interrogators described him as various central intelligence agencies on Thursday lined up to extract details from him.
STF sources claimed that Yasin’s fingerprints collected following his first arrest and sent to the Intelligence Bureau earlier, helped to confirm his identity on Wednesday night.
Caught in November 2009 from Kolkata for allegedly smuggling fake currencies, Yasin, however, walked out free on bail from a city court after spending few months in Alipore jail.
An STF official admitted that it was Yasin’s manipulative skills to hide his identity which helped him to obtain bail rather than the fact that no fake currency was recovered from his possession.
A master of deception, Yasin smartly had then used a fake identity: Ashraf as a cover to convince the STF of his innocence, according to official sources.
***
Played pivotal role in Pune German Bakery blast: ATS
Age Correspondent
Mumbai, Aug. 29
According to ATS officers, Yasin played a pivotal role in the Pune German Bakery blasts by procuring the raw materials and assembling the explosives and planting the bomb. The sole accused, Himayat Baig, was sentenced to death by the Shivajinagar session’s court in Pune for his role in the blasts, which killed 17 persons. Bhatkal was also captured in the CCTV footage in the popular café.
However, he was not directly involved with the low intensity serial blasts in Pune in August last year. “He only played a supervisory role and monitored the planning. We, however, strongly suspect his role in the Bihar Bodh Gaya blasts as the types of explosives had his imprint and were similar to the German Bakery bombing,” the source added.
Mohammed Siddhibappa alias Yasin Bhatkalstarted working under Riyaz and Iqbal Bhatkal — who are brothers — for the Indian Mujahideen handling the outfit’s technical aspect, according to sources.