Court issues production warrants against Yasin Bhatkal, others

A special NIA court today issued production warrants against Indian Mujahideen (IM) co-founder Yasin Bhatkal, his aide Asadullah Akhtar and two others for their presence before it on April 15 in connection with a case of alleged conspiracy to carry out terror acts in India.
During an in-chamber hearing, District Judge I S Mehta issued production warrants against Bhatkal, Akhtar and alleged IM operatives Obaid-Ur-Rehman and Abu Faisal after they were not produced before him during the proceedings.
Bhatkal and Akhtar are presently in Mumbai in connection with the cases lodged against them there while Obaid-Ur-Rehman is in Bangalore. Faisal was not produced before the court from judicial custody.

"Issue production warrant of these four accused persons through their respective superintendents of jail for April 15," the court said and also allowed the plea of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) seeking extension of judicial custody of Faisal.
The court has now fixed the matter for April 15 when it would hear the plea regarding attachment of properties of some of the absconding accused.
The court had on February 24 taken cognisance of NIA's charge sheet in which Bhatkal, Akhtar, Manzer Imam and Ujjair Ahmed were named as accused for allegedly waging war against the country, conspiring for terrorist acts, membership of a terror organisation and radicalisation and recruitment of youths for IM.

They have been chargesheeted under various sections of IPC, including 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 121 (waging war against the country), 121-A (conspiracy to wage war) and under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.