Scooter stolen hours before Mumbai blast

MUMBAI: Investigations into the 13/7 triple bomb blasts have taken a dramatic twist. There is fresh information that the scooter parked near the spot at Zaveri Bazar where a bomb exploded, was stolen a few hours before the blast.
Arjun Singh (25), an employee of a businessman whose scooter was found shattered on July 13 after the blast, was detained by the Kalachowkie unit of the state anti-terrorism squad (ATS).Singh, who is originally from Rajasthan, told investigators that he had gone to replace his scooter's seat near Harkisondas Hospital a day before the blast. "The seat was repaired and the next day morning, my scooter, which I usually park outside my rented room in Khetwadi, was either stolen or went missing," Singh is learnt to have told the police. The garage is owned by one Mohammed Jilani from Madanpura near Mumbai Central.
More shocking is the fact that Singh did not register a missing scooter case. Singh told the police that he did not remember whether he had locked his scooter handle the last time he parked it.
The police found the owner of the scooter with the help of its registration number. The owner, a businessman, told the police that though the scooter belonged to him, but it was Singh who usually used it.
Singh was first picked up by the Nagpada ATS and later taken to the Kalachowkie office a day after the blast. He was detained at Kalachowkie for more than a week, and now he has to appear before the cops every day.
Nine people were killed when a high-intensity bomb, planted at Zaveri Bazar, blew up on July 13. While the police are still struggling to connect the dots in the probe, no arrest has been made so far.
On the other hand, the police had detained at least three mechanics who repaired Singh's scooter. "A policeman, who identified himself as Babubhai, asked us whether we had prepared any duplicate key of the scooter. We told him the truth, but he hit us with a belt. We have given all the details about our relatives, friends, our contact numbers and our whereabouts on that fateful day, but he just does not believe us," said one of the mechanics.
The mechanic went on to say that they were given food meant for suspects and asked to sleep in a corner room with no fan. The mechanics were allowed to go after being detained for several days. But, they have been asked not to leave the city without first seeking permission from the investigating officers.
The mechanic, who was grilled by the ATS, told TOI: "Arjun Singh had been coming to get his scooter's seat replaced almost every month since a year. Sometimes his scooter seat cover would be torn and, at others, it was not in a usable condition. We suspected that someone was playing a prank on him. We suggested that he change his parking place, but he ignored us."
It may be recalled that the state CID is conducting an inquiry into the alleged custodial death of one Faiz Usmani, who was picked up by the city crime branch and allegedly tortured to death. Usmani was being quizzed on the bomb blasts investigation.