The Hindu : Front Page : Delhi in touch with Dhaka

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 04, 2007
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Delhi in touch with Dhaka

Special Correspondent

Confirmation of reports on suspect’s arrest sought: CBI chief

NEW DELHI: India is asking Bangladesh to confirm reports that Mohammad Sharifuddin alias Hamza, a suspect in the recent twin bomb blasts in Hyderabad, has been arrested.

“The Interpol-Delhi is asking its counterpart in Dhaka to confirm reports of arrest of Hamza. This is being taken up on an urgent basis and only after we receive some information, we can take the next appropriate step through proper channels of seeking his deportation,” Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Vijay Shanker told The Hindu on Monday.

The CBI represents Interpol in India, and deals with all matters pertaining to international police cooperation and takes up extradition requests through diplomatic channels.

Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta told reporters that the government was yet to ascertain the full facts behind the reports of arrest of Hamza.

During the recent India-Bangladesh Home Secretary-level talks, the two countries decided to set up a joint mechanism to share “actionable intelligence” in matters involving terror incidents.

Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma pointed out on the sidelines of a function that though there was no formal extradition treaty with Bangladesh, the SAARC nations had pledged to root out terrorism from the region.

Home Ministry officials said the Ministry would wait for communication from Dhaka on Hamza, which should be routed through the Ministry of External Affairs.

The Indian High Commission in Dhaka could also try to get confirmation of his arrest from Bangladesh authorities. “Till then, it will not be proper and wise to make any further comment on it,” a Ministry official said.

Hamza’s name figured during the probe of the Mecca Masjid blast in Hyderabad in May, in which 11 persons were killed.

The investigation of that attack was handed over to the CBI in June.

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