Bengaluru: One of the suspects of Bengaluru serial blast in 2008 was arrested recently. During interrogation, he confessed to a contract killing and robbery when he was on the run after the explosion. Central crime branch (CCB) arrested Abdul Saleem (41), a resident of Perumba in Kannur district of Kerala on October 10 from his hometown.

Abdul Saleem was one of the 20 persons accused in the serial blast that occurred on July 25, 2008 in Bengaluru. A series of nine bombs exploded in Madiwala, Mysuru Road, Adugodi, Koramangala, Vittal Mallya Road, Langford Town, and Richmond Town, where one person was killed and 20 injured. Low-intensity crude bombs triggered by timers caused the blasts.

Abdul Nasser Madani, the founder of People's Democratic Party (PDP), was arrested in December, 2009, but Saleem wasn’t caught by the investigation team. Saleem has been on the run for over ten years.

During the interrogation, Saleem admitted that he had supplied the stuff used for the blast and provided shelter for the executioners.

“As many as 20 persons, including PDP Chairman Abdul Nasser Madani, were arrested earlier in the case. But Saleem had managed to evade arrest. He has now admitted to the role he had played in the case and has been remanded to judicial custody. An additional charge sheet will be submitted against him to the court,” said additional commissioner of police (Crime) Alok Kumar, while speaking to TNIE. 

Apparently, Saleem reportedly revealed two other crimes he committed, which have no connection with terror. He confessed to killing a person named Nishad from his hometown of Perumba for Rs 25 lakh in 2012 and along with that, he committed a robbery in Perumba in 2016.

A missing case under the name of Nishad in Perumba in 2012 still exists. Nishad was killed reportedly over a relationship with a woman. The CCB has already passed the details of the interrogation to the authorities in Kerala regarding these crimes that Saleem confessed to.