Mumbai Police Suspect Bhatkal Brothers Behind Varanasi Blast

Mumbai, Dec 8 (PTI): The Mumbai police today said it suspected that Bhatkal brothers Riaz and Iqbal, founders of terror outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM), masterminded the blast.

City Police Commissioner Sanjeev Dayal also said the handlers of the outlawed organisation are sitting in Pakistan and running the "game" from there.

"The analysis of the e-mail and signature on it indicates similarities with previous emails sent by IM. Preliminary probe indicates the role of IM in this (sending e-mail). Now, we, Mumbai and Navi Mumbai police, are probing to establish which IM module had hacked into the unsecured WiFi and sent the mail from Navi Mumbai. But definitely, main players (of IM) are sitting in Pakistan and running the game from there," the city police chief said.

Asked who are the main players he was referring to, the Commissioner replied "definitely Bhatkal brothers. They are suspected to be behind the Varnasi blast." According to the police, Riyaz and his brother Iqbal are founder-members of IM.

Dayal said several IM members were arrested in 2008 by Mumbai Crime Branch and some are shown as wanted. "It is to be investigated if those wanted are involved in sending the e-mail or a new module is behind it. Before the IM was cracked in 2008, its members may have surveyed several areas looking for unsecured WiFis," the police chief said.

In 2008, the City Police had arrested 21 alleged members of IM on the charge of hatching conspiracy to set off blasts in various cities including Delhi, Bangalore and Surat. The Commissioner said the terror e-mail was sent from a house in Navi Mumbai and the person to whom the WiFi belonged to is innocent.