Phones, internet devices seized from cell of American Centre attack convict Aftab Ansari

Kolkata: Three mobile phones, Wi-Fi equipment, a pen drive, an earphone and Rs 31,000 in cash were recovered from the prison cell of Aftab Ahmed Ansari, the mastermind of the 2002 American Centre attack in Kolkata, officials said on Saturday.

The seizure was made at the Presidency Correctional Home following intelligence inputs that Ansari was allegedly using a mobile phone and accessing the internet from inside the prison.

Ansari, who was convicted in the American Centre attack case and is serving a life sentence, is lodged in cell number 14 of the correctional home.

During the search, officials recovered three mobile phones from his clothes and bedding. Two routers and a Wi-Fi device were also seized, along with a pen drive and an earphone, a correctional home official said.

Police also found Rs 31,000 in cash, all in Rs 500 denomination, inside the cell.

Following the recovery, prison authorities lodged a complaint with Hastings Police Station. A case has been registered and an investigation is underway.

Investigators are examining how Ansari obtained the devices and cash and are also checking whether he used the phones to contact people outside India, the official said.