ISIS case: Mohammed Haneef sent to police custody for 3 days

Haneef was produced before the same court on August 14 and was remanded to police custody till August 20.

The metropolitan magistrate court on Tuesday remanded Mohammed Haneef, the Kerala based preacher, to three days police custody for further investigation.

Mohammad Haneef outside a court in Mumbai.(Arijit Sen/HT PHOTO)

The court while extending police custody of Haneef, observed that there was prima facie evidence of direct involvement of the accused and his associate in the offence. “Considering their anti-national activities and involvement of other accused, further investigation is needed,” the court observed and extended the police custody of Haneef till August 26.

Haneef, booked for indoctrinating Kerala based youngsters, was arrested on August 13 and produced before the court on Tuesday afternoon. The crime branch, for the third time, sought to extend his police custody for further ten days.

While seeking longer police custody, the officer told the court that the agency has already sought the production warrant of two other accused arrested by the Kerala police in another case which is connected, and they would be brought here soon. Hence they want to conduct a joint interrogation of these accused for further investigations.

The officer also told the court that the accused had done some cash transaction and they want to investigate that further.

Public prosecutor Taher Trimbakwala contended that it’s a serious offence and more accused are involved. “We have managed to recover some mobile and other articles which are yet to be probed and investigation with other accused needs to be carried out,” Trimbakwala argued.

Defence advocate Shavez Mukri objected the remand plea saying that incident as alleged has happened in Kerala and investigation is being done in Mumbai. “The prosecution has failed to show any connection to the crime in Mumbai and also failed to establish Haneef’s role,” Mukri argued.

After hearing both sides, court remanded Haneef to police custody for three days police custody.