Kathmandu, July 19:

Pakistani nationals Ghulam Hussain Chima and Aftab Mohiuddin Sidique, who were arrested in Kathmandu on July 13 on the charge of being involved in the July 11 Mumbai blasts, were today remanded in police custody for seven more days by the Kathmandu District Court (KDC). A single bench of judge Sushma Lata Mathema issued the directive. Police had demanded a 15-day custody for the two.

This is the second time the KDC has remanded Chima and Sidique under the Explosive Items Act 2018 BS for investigating their involvement in the blasts. On July 14, the KDC had ordered the police to take them into custody for five days.

The two suspects have claimed they were officials of the Marshangadi Road construction project and had come here to clear their project accounts.

Chima and Sidique were arrested in connection with the seizure of RDX from Chima’s rented room on July 11, 2001. The government had ordered the then first secretary of the Pakistan Embassy Mohammad Ashard to leave the country within 24 hours. Ashard was accused of being involved in smuggling RDX here.