A 42-year-old Bangladeshi national wanted in connection with three blasts at a mosque in Bangladesh in 2002 has been arrested from Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, police said on Tuesday.
Acting on a tip-off, the crime branch of neighbouring Thane Police arrested Mophajjal Hussain alias Mopha Ali Gazi alias Maphizul Mandal, hailing from Satkhira in Khulna state of Bangladesh, from Cidco bus stop on Thursday while he was trying to go to Turbhe in Navi Mumbai, an official said.
He was staying in Turbhe since the last few months and was doing odd jobs there.
He was involved in the crude bomb blasts, one inside and two outside the mosque in Bangladesh, Thane crime branch police inspector Nitin Thakre said.
One person was killed and many others injured in the triple blast, which took place at Ilispur in the jurisdiction of Colarua police station, he said.
Hussain had lost his right hand when the crude bomb exploded while he was placing it outside the mosque, he said.
He was subsequently arrested and awarded life imprisonment by a court.
However, he was later granted bail on medical grounds and released in 2004 following which he absconded and sneaked into India from the border along West Bengal where he did some petty jobs.
He later came to Mumbai and was working at some construction sites in the metropolis and Navi Mumbai, he said.
Hussain was staying at Turbhe in neighbouringNavi Mumbai since last few months and doing odd jobs under the fictitious name as Maphizul Mandal, he said.
He was nabbed on Thursday by the crime branch team on a specific information about him, the official said.
When the police asked for his residential proof like Aadhaar card, he was not able to provide it.
A senior police official said during questioning, Hussain admitted that he is an illegal Bangladeshi migrant and came to India without any proper documents.
He also admitted that he absconded to evade the jail term in the bomb blasts case, the official said.
He has been boked under provisions of the Indian Passport Act and the Foreigners Act, the official said, adding he has been remanded in police custody till Friday.
Efforts for his repatriation were underway, he said.
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