Army troops have arrested a Lashkar-e-Tayiba militant from Banihal area in Jammu and Kashmir, who claimed to have a role in the October 29 serial blasts in the captial, Delhi police sources said on Wednesday.
The militant identified as Ghulam Mohiuddin Lone was arrested two days ago and during interrogation he claimed to have had a hand in triggering the blasts after which he went into hiding, the sources said.
Based on specific intelligence inputs, Lone was arrested in Banihal area of Doda district and Rs 25,000 in Indian currency recovered from him.
Lone was later air-lifted to New Delhi for questioning to ascertain the veracity of his statement.
A Joint team of Delhi Police and intelligence agencies is interrogating Lone to find out the truth in his claim that he had played a role in triggering three blasts that killed 62 people and injured 210.
He is likely to be taken to the blast sites to establish whether he was really involved, considering that he had claimed to have visited the sites, the sources said.
However, Joint Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Karnail Singh said it could not be said with certainty that Lone was involved in the blasts until he was thoroughly interrogated.
"We can say something only after examining the veracity of his claims," Singh said, adding this should not be seen as an arrest in the serial blasts case.
During the preliminary interrogation, Lone, a resident of Chapnari village in Banihal, confessed his involvement in the blasts, he said, adding that the arrested militant had also given several vital clues pertaining to the Diwali-eve explosions in the capital.
Sources said Lone is believed to be involved in the 1998 massacre at Chapnari in which 23 Hindus were killed and was actively working as a financial coordinator of Lashkar-e-Tayiba in the area.
Sources also said that Lone was close to a self-styled Lashkar commander of Batmaloo, who is being named as the main accused in planning the Delhi blasts.
Two more suspects were arrested by the army in connection with the blasts, but they were let off after interrogation as they turned out to be innocent, they said.
