Madani remanded in judicial custody till Sept 7

Bangalore: PDP leader Abdul Nasser Madani, an accused in the 2008 Bangalore serial blasts case, was on Thursday remanded in judicial custody till September 7 after the police did not seek extension of his custody.

Madani was produced before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Venkatesh Hulagi on expiry of police custody since his arrest on August 17.

Investigating officer Omkaraiah told reporters extension of police custody was not sought for "various reasons".

"The interrogation has been very satisfying and Madani has been fully cooperative," he said.

Madani was arrested at Kollam in Kerala by Karnataka Police after waiting for eight days to get the nod from their counterparts to execute the arrest warrant.

Based on the confessions of T Nazeer, main accused in the Bangalore blasts, the PDP leader was named in the additional charge sheet.

Counsel for Madani P Usman told the court that the PDP leader had no complaints about the treatment meted out to him during interrogation but only felt medical facilities were "not proper and insufficient" considering his ailments.

Usman said the doctors attending on Madani were "not qualified enough to attend to the kind of medical problems", he had and sought services of a cardiologist (from government run Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology) and an orthopaedician.

The counsel also requested that Madani, who was handicapped, be given essential amenities including a wheelchair, a bed, European toilet and also be allowed to take the Quran inside the jail for praying during Ramzan.

Responding to the plea, the court directed the jail authorities to provide necessary medical facilities and amenities as desired by Madani in view of his ailments.

Talking to reporters outside the court, Usman reiterated that the case against Madani was "politically motivated" and he has denied his involvement "in blasts of any kind".

He said, "We have also filed a bail application in sessions court which will come up for hearing tomorrow."

Madani was also an accused in the 1998 Coimbatore serial bomb blasts case in which 58 people were killed, but was acquitted by the trial court.