Police submit call details, other proofs

Bangalore: The Bangalore police on Wednesday submitted details of telephone contacts between arrested Kerala politician Abdul Naser Madani and the main accused in the July 25, 2008 Bangalore blasts case, Tadiyandavede Nasir, before a court.

The technical evidence along with statements of four eyewitnesses suggesting a role of the People's Democratic Party's (PDP) leader in planning the attacks and in sheltering key perpetrators like T Nasir, was placed before the court after Madani filed a petition saying he is being falsely implicated in the case and asking for quashing of the chargesheet against him.

The technical evidence was produced after the court asked the public prosecutor whether the police had any evidence against Madani other than the voluntary statement made by the main accused implicating Madani in the case.

According to the technical evidence placed before the court, Nasir using the number 9744386493 contacted Madani on the cell phone number 9349955085 registered in his wife Soofiya Madani's name on July 27, 2008, two days after the Bangalore blasts, to fix up a meeting.

Though Madani's advocate argued that he did not use the mobile number presented by the police, the public prosecutor presented a signed statement by Madani's wife saying the number was registered in her name but was used by Madani.

The police told the court that a witness in the case, Madani's brother Jamal Ahmed, had stated that Nasir and another key accused in the case, P K Shabbir, who is still absconding, were sheltered at Madani's college at Anwarserry after the blasts.

Other witnesses were cited as having seen Madani at meetings of the accused ahead of the blasts or having heard conversations with Madani about the blasts after it occurred. Madani's advocate argued that witnesses were coerced into giving statements against the PDP leader by the police.

Before reserving his orders on Madani's plea Justice Subhash B Adi observed that the issue before him was to ascertain whether the police had prima facie made out a case against Madani warranting his naming in the chargesheet. Issues like coercion could be addressed at the trial stage, he said.

Madani was on Tuesday night remanded to police custody for 10 days. His health is being constantly monitored, the police said. The police are expected to question him over the next few days.