Maharashtra terror module case: ATS recovers 500 GB data from terror suspects; launches hunt for 3rd accused

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 30 (ANI): In a significant move, Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has recovered around 500 gigabytes of data from various electronic devices seized from the terror suspects who are in custody, the agency top sources told ANI.

As per the source, the data recovered by the ATS has been sent to Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for further analysis.
“During the investigation, ATS has recovered around 500 GB of data from various electronic devices seized by ATS from arrested terror suspects. All the data has been sent to FSL for analysis. The data included drone visuals of several locations and screenshots of Google locations of various places in the Pune district. It also has some images of Mumbai’s Chabad House,” the source told ANI.

After a Google image of the Chabad House was recovered from both suspected terrorists arrested for planning an attack in Rajasthan, Mumbai Police beefed up security outside the Chabad House in Colaba.

The agency on Wednesday arrested a man named Abdul Qadir Dastgir Pathan in Pune for providing shelter to the terror suspects – Mohammad Imran Mohammad Yunus Khan and Mohammad Yunus Mohammad Yakub Saki.

Khan and Saki, wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for their alleged involvement in a terror-related case in Rajasthan, were nabbed from the Kothrud area of Pune on July 18.

The ATS, which recently took over the probe from Pune Police, said that it recovered white explosive powder, laptops, parts of drones and books written in Arabic, among other things from Khan and Saki.

However, an ATS official, on Sunday said, “The drone was used to take some visuals but what visuals they have taken, needs to be identified therefore, the same data has been sent to FSL for further probe.”

Sources in Maharashtra ATS further informed that ATS has seized some electronic circuits which were meant to make bombs by the suspects.

ATS officials have also informed that the terror suspects used a tent to stay in forest areas in Pune’s adjoining districts.

As per the ATS officials, the terror suspects, after coming to Maharashtra, befriended a third person, a resident of Jharkhand, who managed to escape when the police nabbed the duo.

However, the agency has formed several teams to trace the third absconding accused, the officials added.

“The teams have been sent to various locations in the state and out of the state,” he added.

On Friday, the agency said that they have arrested a man from Ratnagiri district for providing financial aid to suspected terrorists, who were taken into custody by the Pune Police on July 18.

According to a press release issued by the ATS on Saturday, the person from Ratnagiri was earlier detained.

However, he was arrested on Friday after a probe showed his involvement in the case.

The latest arrest has taken the number of the arrested to four.

As per the ATS, these suspects were brainwashed through various videos of individuals avaliable on YouTube, literature books and contents.

Earlier, Maharashtra ATS further stated that both accused were booked under UAPA charges.

“During the investigation, it was revealed that both were planning to carry out anti-national activities to disturb the unity and safety of the nation and for this, both had taken the training to make bombs and kept the required materials in their possession,” an official statement said.