S. Shajahan, 41, of Bharathiar Nagar near Kuniyamuthur in the city, wanted for his alleged involvement in a 1997 bomb planting case, surrendered before the Special Intelligence Unit of the Tamil Nadu Police here on Monday.
He was handed over to the Crime Branch-CID’s Special Investigation Division (SID) police. SID sources told The Hindu that he surrendered as advised by his father Sadhika, 65, who runs an old paper mart.
Shajahan was among a gang of 12 who were wanted for allegedly planting explosive devices in Classic Tower building on the road near the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital on December 1, 1997. This followed the riots over the murder of a traffic constable at Ukkadam on November 29. The watchman of the building spotted an abandoned bag with the explosive devices in the parking lot.
The police registered cases under Sections 120B (conspiracy), 109 (abetment) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 6 and 4 (A) of the Explosive Substances Act. During inquiry, CB-CID sleuths arrested Shantu Mohammed, Abdul Ozir, Mohammed Bashid, Jahangir alias Jahir, Yusuf alias Shajahan, Mohammed Alikhan Kutty, Samjad Ahmed, Mohammed Ansari, Riaz-Ur-Rehman and Nawab Khan of Al-Umma.
Shajahan and Mujibur Rehman were added as accused in 2004 when the charge sheet was filed. Meanwhile, the Special Court for Bomb Blast Cases here acquitted all in November 2009.
Shajahan holds a diploma in electrical and communication engineering and is said to have helped others by sourcing parts required to make the explosive devices. He went to Saudi Arabia in 2001.
SID Additional Superintendent of Police G. Stalin said Shajahan worked as a manager in a private firm at Riyadh and was living there with his wife, son and daughter. The acquittal of the other accused could have prompted him to surrender. He would be remanded on Tuesday, and the SID would take him in its custody for three days, sources said.
Four of the 10 acquitted in the case were still in jail for their involvement in the serial bomb blasts. The police are still on the lookout for Mujibur Rehman.
