NIA continues quizzing 5 in Kovai car blast case

Coimbatore: The sleuths of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) continued their probe for the second day on Monday against the 5 accused in a car explosion case here on October 23, police said.

The sleuths, along with the Coimbatore city police, questioned the accused near their houses on Sunday, the police said.

A total of nine people was arrested on the charge of helping Jameesha Mubin (who died in the blast; he was driving the car) purchase explosives and other material for triggering the explosion front of a temple, they said. The blast was termed a terror attack by the police.

Since the accused were lodged in the Puzhal prison in Chennai, NIA sought the Special Court, Poonamallee, near the city, to grant the agency 9-day custody of the 5 for interrogation, said the police.

The court agreed to the request of the NIA and the five – Mohammed Azaruddin, Afzar Khan, Feroze, Ismail, and Umar Farooq – were brought here from Chennai, the police said.

The custody of the accused ends on December 29, they said.