Is mole-in-chief Riyaz tipping offs cops to nab former aides?

Riyaz Bhatkal, founder leader and the most wanted terrorist of Indian Mujahideen (IM), seems to be helping the investigation agencies including Delhi Police Special Cell to nab older and popular operatives of the outfit.

Since 2012, Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested most of the wanted terrorists of IM in connection to various terror strikes across the country. The major catches include Yasin Bhatkal, co-founder of IM, Tehsin Akhtar, Assadullah Akhtar, Waqas and Ajaz Sheikh who was picked up recently. 

The wires of these recently arrested terrorists are somewhat connected to Riyaz Bhatkal. Riyaz used to direct the operatives to change their hide-outs, purchase of explosives, logistic provider and the like. If sources in the agencies are to be believed, ‘Riyaz has set up a new module with virgin operatives from Jaipur, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, whose identities are yet to be established by the investigation agencies. 

These freshers have neither taken part in any of the recent terror strikes nor are they active on the field as yet. Most of the members of the newly recruited group were till now acting as IM’s sleeper cells.’

‘The revelation made by all the recently arrested terrorists in their interrogation some or the other indicates that the top brass wants to call off the long-term relationship with its old operatives, despite knowing the fact that Old is Gold,’ he added. Whenever, the operatives follow Riyaz’s directions, the terrorist is arrested by either of the agencies.

For instance, the charge-sheet in possession with Millennium Post reveals that Zia-ur-Rehman, alias Waqas, was arrested from Ajmer when he was on his way to Jaipur on the directions of Riyaz, to oversee a terrorist operation which was to be carried out in Delhi.

Similarly, Yasin Bhatkal (the most trusted and talented operative) along with Tehsin were arrested from Indo-Nepal border after Tehsin followed the instruction of Riyaz, the charge-sheet reads. Tehsin was directed to go to Delhi in around mid August, 2013, to handover a mobile phone, email id and Rs 1 lakh to Zahida, wife of Yasin. Since then, special cell tracked down Tehsin and nabbed him along with Yasin with the help of the mobile number and the email-id that was handed over to Zahida.

In the recent incident, Ajaz Sheikh was also arrested after he followed Riyaz’s instructions to go to Delhi, via Lucknow, Moradabad and Saharanpur, from where he was nabbed mid-way.

‘Since the names of most of the operatives have cropped up in the investigation, the outfit does not trust any of them to take part in future strikes. Now, they are useless and risky for the Bhatkal brothers,’ the source claimed.