By IANS
New Delhi : India Tuesday stepped up pressure on Bangladesh seeking more information about a key suspect behind the twin blasts in Hyderabad last month even as Dhaka denied any link to either the blasts or the terror operative wanted by New Delhi.
India also reminded Dhaka about the list given to it by New Delhi last month about anti-India insurgents and terrorists operating from the Bangladeshi territory.
Mohammad Sharifuddin alias Abu Hamza, a top suspect in the Hyderabad blasts of Aug 25 that killed 44 people, was detained by the Bangladesh police over the weekend, according to intelligence reports.
“We are seeking their cooperation,” External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters when asked whether he expected Bangladesh to hand over Hamza to Indian investigative agencies.
“During the home secretary-level talks, we gave them the details of individuals like this who were indulging in insurgency and all sorts of terrorist activities,” the minister said on the sidelines of a meeting of editors from the IBSA countries comprising India, Brazil and South Africa.
“We are asking Dhaka to confirm reports of his arrest. This has been taken on an urgent basis. Only then can we take appropriate steps to move ahead,” Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Vijay Shankar said.
After Dhaka confirms Hamza’s arrest, New Delhi will take requisite steps to extradite Hamza, who allegedly masterminded the bomb blasts in Hyderabad.
Denying any involvement, Bangladesh Home Secretary Abdul Karim, however, told New Age newspaper: “We will verify the reports of different international and Indian media.
“Bangladesh does not have any involvement in the Hyderabad blasts. The foreign ministry will lodge its protest through diplomatic channels,” the daily Tuesday quoted him as saying.
A Dhaka Metropolitan Police official also said “such reports are baseless”.
The newspaper said the media reports about the arrest “have stunned authorities in Dhaka”.
Even if reports are confirmed, extraditing Hamza could prove to be difficult, as India and Bangladesh do not have an extradition treaty.
The home secretaries of India and Bangladesh last month agreed to step up cooperation in acting against insurgents taking shelter in each other’s countries and promised to fight terrorism as a common threat.
Ties between the two neighbours have been strained in the past by trust deficit over key issues like terrorism with the two sides accusing each other of harbouring terrorists and criminals who staged cross border attacks.
If Dhaka’s past record is any indication, chances of Hamza being sent back are very slim, highly placed sources told IANS.