Production warrant issued against Yasin Bhatkal in 2011 Mumbai blasts case

A special MCOCA court in Mumbai issued a production warrant against Indian Mujahideen (IM) co-founder Yasin Bhatkal and six others in connection with the 2011 triple blasts case.

"The court issued a production warrant against Bhatkal, who is presently lodged in Cherlapally central prison in Hyderabad," an ATS official said.

The official added that the court also issued warrants against three other accused lodged in the same jail.

"Apart from them, production warrants were also issued for an accused lodged in Tihar jail in New Delhi and two others in Parappana Agrahara central jail in Bangalore," the official added.

Special MCOCA judge VV Patil directed that all the seven accused be brought before him on January 27.

Explosions at Opera House, Zaveri Bazaar and Dadar West here on July 13, 2011, had claimed 26 lives and injured 130 others.

According to police, the Indian Mujahideen had carried out these blasts and Yasin Bhatkal played an important role in procuring the explosives.

Riyaz Bhatkal, Dubai-based Muzaffar Kolah and Tehseen Akhtar Shaikh are also the wanted accused in the case.

On December 19 last year, a special NIA court in Hyderabad awarded capital punishment to Yasin and four others in the case related to twin blasts in Dilsukhnagar area on February 21, 2013, in which eighteen people were killed.