Mumbai:
This is not the first time that cops have got their hands on alleged terrorist Riyaz Ali Sheikh alias Rehan who was arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) on Saturday.
The 23-year-old had been arrested last year for eloping with a minor. Sheikh was in love with a 17-year-old girl, the daughter of his employer, and later eloped with her. The girl's father, owner of a shop at the Thakker Mall, lodged a complaint of kidnapping against Sheikh, who was later arrested.
According to the police, Sita, a student of NK College, used to meet Sheikh at the shop and they fell in love. The meetings became hard to manage, since Sita's mother used to pick her up. Sheikh managed to get her out of the college in a burkha and they both eloped. The police later traced them to a guesthouse in Mira Road.
Investigating officer Manohar Harpude, PSI, Malad police station, said, "We traced the couple via their mobile phones, and found out that they were staying in Mira Road. But while we were taking him back by train, he jumped, and escaped. Later, some people took him for a thief, and handed him over to the Kandivli railway police, who in turn, gave him to us."
However, the girl's father didn't want to take the case forward, and the police had to release Sheikh. After his arrest on Saturday night, even the police officers at Malad were shocked. "At that point we had no reason to suspect that he could be a terrorist," said Harpude, who identified Sheikh with the help of a photograph.
The police called Sita's father to enquire whether she was still in touch with Sheikh, but the reply was negative. However, Sheikh's father Abu Bakkar denied that his son was a terrorist. "My son's only mistake was that he fell in love and eloped. He has been framed by the police."
Sheikh's mother Ajida claims that the police took her son on Friday night, but police records show that they arrested Riyaz on Saturday night.
The other arrested accused Abdul Latif has been married to Riyaz's sister for the past nine years and has two children.
The ATS arrested Riyaz and Abdul Latif alias Guddu (29) from near Matunga railway station on Saturday night, as they suspected that the two were planning to blow up the ONGC headquarters, Thakker Mall in Borivli and Mangaldas Market in south Mumbai.