KARACHI, Jan 24: A local chief of the banned Sipah-i-Sahaba was remanded to judicial custody on Wednesday by a judicial magistrate.

The CID police arrested Mohammed Ali alias Mama in Korangi on Tuesday.

The police also seized an unlicensed pistol from him. He was the banned outfit’s amir in Lyari.

The police produced him in Judicial Magistrate East Kunwar Khan Gadi’s court, seeking custody for interrogation in the case registered upon his arrest for possessing an unlicensed pistol. The magistrate, however, sent him to jail and ordered the aurthorities to produce him in court on February 3.

The police said Mama was involved in the murder of Qari Habibur Rehman in Kalri. Besides, he was also involved in the murder of Maulana Abdul Karim Naqshbandi in Baghdadi. Both deceased belonged to the Barelvi school of thought.

They said three associates of the suspect were already arrested recently. The police said the suspect was given the command of the banned outfit a year ago.

Raja Umer Khattaf, SP CID, talking to this scribe said the suspect had planned to kill a Shia trader, dealing in the sale of religious literature in Kharadar. Similarly, he said, Mama had also planned the murder of a pir.

The SP said the CID had arrested three SSP men – Taufiq ahmed Ansari, Tariq Mavia and Waheed Niazi – in Dec 2006. He said Waheed Niazi was the brother of Akbar, the suicide bomber of the imambargah at SMI.