A special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court on Monday remanded Aslam alias Bunty Shabbir Shaikh Jahagirdar to police custody till January 24.

The 39-year-old son of the NCP councillor from Shrirampur, Ahmednagar, was nabbed by the Anti Terrorism Squad on Sunday on charges of allegedly supplying two firearms to some of the accused in the blasts that rocked Pune on August 1, 2012.

Police sources said Aslam has a long crime record and is the kingpin of the sand mafia in the region. He has 13 offences against him, including five cases of rioting, the latest was in 2012. He is also the accused in a murder case in Bhiwandi and was booked under Arms Act in a case in Chembur. An attempt to murder case was filed against him in Shrirampur and a theft case in Kandivali.

A resident of Subhedar Wasti in Shrirampur, he is a higher secondary pass and has been into real estate business. In August 2006, Aslam was booked under the Officials Secrets Act for his alleged links with ISI operative Arif Lakhani. The police arrested Lakhani while he was boarding the Goa-Nizamuddin Express train to Delhi from Manmad. Classified military documents, floppies, CDs and maps were seized from him.

Though the local police had made repeated requests to the district administration to book him under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, 1981, it was never considered. ASP Sunita Thakre said two proposals against Aslam have lapsed. "The third proposal was submitted two months ago. We had stated that he is a dreaded criminal with allegations of terror links," she said.

Ahmednagar SP R D Shinde refused to comment on the proposals. District Collector Sanjeev Kumar said, "It is a matter of individual liberty and human rights... I will look into the matter."

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