Daijiworld Media Network - Thane

Thane, Nov 12: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has questioned a teacher from Mumbra, Thane, in connection with the arrest of Pune-based software engineer Zubair Hangargekar (37), who is accused of having links with banned terror outfits, including Al-Qaeda and Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).

According to reports, the teacher’s residence in Mumbra was allegedly used for one of the meetings attended by Hangargekar. ATS officials visited the location on Tuesday to gather information about the meeting and Hangargekar’s activities. Officials clarified that the teacher is neither an accused nor a witness in the ongoing investigation.

Hangargekar was arrested for his suspected role in radicalisation and for maintaining contact with individuals associated with proscribed organisations. During the probe, ATS recovered an old phone belonging to him that contained five international contact numbers, including one from Pakistan, two from Saudi Arabia, and one each from Kuwait and Oman. However, the call detail records revealed no outgoing or incoming calls with these numbers.

In a previous court submission, the ATS stated that Hangargekar was known to deliver “aggressive religious discourses” in Pune’s Kondhwa area. A search of his residence led to the seizure of mobile phones and deleted PDF files titled ‘Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and All Its Manifestations’.

Investigators also found an Urdu translation of a speech by former Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, and a magazine titled ‘Inspire’, which reportedly contained images of AK-47 training and documents on the manufacture of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) using acetone peroxide.

The ATS continues to probe Hangargekar’s alleged links and network, as well as his suspected efforts to spread extremist ideology through digital and personal meetings.