Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Aug 10: Sheikh Amir Ali, named as main accused in serial church bomb blasts case in the state, was arrested after a gap of 16 years. He was taken into custody from Hyderabad on Tuesday August 9 in a joint operation conducted by Telangana state police and Karnataka criminal investigation department.

Ali, a native of Nalgonda district in Telangana, is a member of Deendar Anjuman organization. With this arrest, the CID is left with the task of finding out six more accused including five Pakistani citizens.

The first ACMM court here had issued arrest warrant against Sheikh Ali and other missing accused on April 8 as they had not appeared for hearing into serial blasts.

Serial blasts had been set off at Wadi in Kalaburagi district, Keshwapur in Hubballi, Magadi Road and Jagajjivanram Nagar church Bengaluru by Deendar Anjuman organization. CID, which had investigated the case, had filed charge sheet against 29 persons. These blasts were backed by the aim to create communal tensions between Hindus and Christians.