Ejaz Mohammed Sharif alias Ejaz Pathan, a prime accused in 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case, was remanded to judicial custody by a special court in Mumbai on Thursday.
Earlier the court was informed that Pathan had made a voluntary confession to the Central Bureau of Investigation on February 22. He was produced before a magistrate on Wednesday for confirming his statement.
The court then directed the CBI to send the accused to J J Hospital for a thorough medical check-up, as he was suffering from a neurological problem.
Ejaz deposed before the court saying although the CBI allowed him to sleep at night, he could not get proper sleep due to constant headache. The accused pleaded that he may be remanded to judicial custody, as he could not sustain interrogation because of ill health.
The court rejected the plea of Ejaz's lawyer, Abbas Kazmi, for a copy of the alleged confession as the CBI objected saying it could hamper investigation at this stage.
The judge ordered the registrar of the court to put the alleged confession in a sealed cover. It shall be opened at the appropriate stage.
The court also rejected the plea of CBI lawyer A S Kulayu for in-camera trial of Pathan. Pathan was deported from Dubai on February 19 on a request made by the Indian government. The CBI subsequently him at the Chhatrapati Shivaji airport.
The CBI said that Pathan was involved in the 1993 bomb blasts conspiracy and helped the underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in supplying arms and ammunition to execute the serial explosions. The investigating agency added that Pathan sent the other accused in the case to Pakistan, via Dubai, for arms training.
Pathan was also instrumental in landing of arms and ammunition in coastal Raigarh district in February 1993, the CBI said. However, before the blast, he fled India along with other absconding accused, the CBI added.
The court had earlier issued non-bailable warrant against him and sent red-corner notices to Interpol to apprehend him. Two hundred and fifty seven people were killed and over 700 injured when 13 explosions shattered Mumbai on March 12, 1993.
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