Yasin Bhatkal records statement before magistrate in 2008 case

Ahmedabad city crime branch had brought Bhatkal from Tihar jail in Delhi through a transfer warrant in connection with the July, 2008 serial blasts case, in which, 56 people were killed in Ahmedabad.

Surat, Apr 25: Indian Mujahideen operative Yasin Bhatkal, currently in custody of police in connection with a bomb planting case of 2008, on Tuesday gave his statement before the court. The statement was recorded under section 164 of the CrPC under which any metropolitan magistrate or judicial magistrate may, whether or not he has jurisdiction in the case, record any confession or statement made to him in the course of an investigation. This is the first case when an alleged terrorist has given a confessional statement under Section 164 of the CrPC.

The statement was recorded in close door proceedings held in the court of principal sessions and district judge, Geeta Gopi, here. In a statement, Surat police claimed that Bhatkal had expressed his willingness to record his statement under section 164 of CrPC yesterday, following which he was given a day's time by the court and subsequently produced today for the purpose of recording the statement.

Earlier on March 31, Ahmedabad city crime branch had brought Bhatkal from Tihar jail in Delhi through a transfer warrant in connection with the July, 2008 serial blasts case, in which, 56 people were killed in Ahmedabad. Bhatkal was arrested by NIA in August 2013.

Upon completion of his remand in Ahmedabad, Surat police took his custody on April 18, as Bhatkal was also accused of planting 29 bombs in different parts of Surat city during 2008. However, due to some technical reasons, none of these bombs went off. During his remand period, which will end on April 27, Bhatkal gave full cooperation to Surat police and showed them the rented house where he stayed during his visit, the police statement said.

He also took the police to all those places where he had planted the bombs, said a release by Surat police. Yesterday, Bhatkal requested the police that he wants to record his statement before the court. After hearing his request, the court gave him 24 hours time to think over his decision, said the release.

Upon completion of the time limit today, Bhatkal was produced before the court, which recorded his statement in a close door proceedings, said the release. According to Surat police, Bhatkal is facing around 100 such cases of bomb blasts across the country. Among these, he was given death sentence for Hyderabad blast case.

PTI