New Delhi: CBI on April 18 said that Asghar Ali, who was arrested along with three others in Hyderabad in connection with the murder of former Gujarat Home Minister Haren Pandya was the "main killer who pulled the trigger".

"We can say with confidence that Asghar Ali is the main killer. He pulled the trigger," CBI Director P C Sharma told a press conference in New Delhi.

Ali was arrested by the CBI along with Mohammad Abdul Bari, Abdul Rauf and Mohammad Iftekar in Hyderabad on April 17.

Stating that the agency was gathering evidence in the case after the Gujarat government had entrusted the task to it on March 28, Sharma said he could say with certainty that Ali, a resident of Hyderabad, was the "main killer".

Sharma said Ali and other accused, who have a long criminal track record, had links with Pakistan and received training in the use Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in that country.

The CBI Chief said Ali was about to escape from Hyderabad and go to Pakistan. It would have been difficult to nab him if he was not arrested yesterday, Sharma added.

Even before Pandya's killing, Ali went to Pakistan and he had allegedly admitted he took training in Pakistan, Sharma said adding he was not aware of the purpose of the training.

PTI