PTI

MUMBAI LET operative Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, alleged prime conspirator of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, was on Saturday arrested and produced before a local court which remanded him to police custody till July 31.

Thirty-year-old Jundal’s custody was sought by special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, who said Jundal had taught Hindi to the terrorists and gave them instructions from a control room in Pakistan on the operations of terror attacks in Mumbai in the western Indian state of Maharashtra.

Jundal, who hails from the Beed district of Maharashtra, was produced before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate S S Shinde at Esplanade Court here amidst tight security after a Delhi Court handed over his custody to the ATS on Friday.

The 26/11 key handler is also required in other cases in Maharashtra such as the 2006 Aurangabad arms haul case, the 2010 German Bakery blast and the plan to attack Nashik Academy.

However, his custody in these cases would be taken after police questioned him in the terror attack case.

CMM Shinde ordered that Jundal be handed over to Mumbai Crime Branch as ATS said they had no objection if he was first interrogated in the November 26 terror attack case of 2008. Jundal, sporting a beard, was then produced before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate P S Rathod in the same building of the Esplanade Court who remanded him to police custody till July 31 in the 26/11 terror attack case.

This is the second arrest in the 26/11 case, the first was that of Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist who was convicted earlier for his role in the terror attacks. He is currently lodged in Central prison here and is awaiting outcome of his appeal against a death sentence awarded to him.

ACMM Rathod asked Jundal whether he had anything to say or make a complaint, to which he replied in the negative.

Nikam argued that Jundal, who was booked under the provisions of IPC and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, was a key conspirator in the Mumbai terror attacks and was present in the control room set up in Pakistan to handle the terrorists through remote control.