CID carried an investigation in Bengaluru based on which they arrested a man from Hyderabad with the help of the Telangana police.

The man was identified as Sheik Amir Ali aka Amir Ali, 36, a native of Nalgonda. He has been arrested as he is suspected to be involved in blasts in Karnataka churches.

Amir has been on run since the serial blasts took place in churches across Karnataka in 2000.  He was part of Deendar Anjuman banned in Karnataka, which targeted churches in Karnataka.

C.H. Pratap Reddy, a senior official headed the CID team. They arrested Amir Ali with the help of the local police. A warrant was issued by Bengaluru court on April 8.

Way back on June 9, 2000, bombs exploded at the JJ Nagar Church and also in a church on Magadi Road in Bangaluru.

Two bombs exploded at the St Anne's Church in Wadi in Gulbarga district. Bombs also exploded at the St John's Lutheran Church in Hubballi in which 16 of the 19 accused who were charge-sheeted faced trial.

29 people were arrested involved in blast in JJ Church. Out of 29, 11 people were given death penalty and 12 were given life imprisonment.

CID officials said “seven of the accused did not face trial and five of them are from Pakistan. A case was booked against Aamir Ali and others after the blasts at the St Peter and Paul Church in JJ Nagar, Bengaluru.  The JJ Nagar police filed cases under Sections 124A, 153A, 304(2), 295, 436, 427 of IPC; Sections 3 and 4 of the Explosive Substances Act and Section 9(b) of the Explosives Act.”

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BY M. DIVYA SRI