Mumbai: City police have launched a massive manhunt for Nasir, absconding accused in the twin blasts case, who allegedly taught the co-accused to assemble and make bombs, sources said in Mumbai on September 3.

Nasir's full name and address is not known but on the description provided by accused Syed Mohammed Hanif, the police have made his sketches and were working on a theory that he may have already left Mumbai.

Nasir came in touch with Hanif in Dubai in 2002 and after that they moved to Mumbai, the former brainwashed him and other accused Arshad Shafiq Ahmed Ansari to take revenge for the casualties suffered by minorities in the Gujarat riots.

Police also suspect that Nasir had not revealed his real identity and that Nasir was his fictitious name. Nasir had also not disclosed to other accused the place from where he hailed.

Police also suspect Nasir was an alleged Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operative and that he had supplied explosives to the other accused.

Interrogations revealed that Nasir used to visit the Andheri residence of Hanif periodically and had taught him to assemble and make bombs.

Police believe that Nasir was the prime conspirator in the twin blasts and that he alone could provide the missing link between the arrested accused and the origin of conspiracy.

Police would soon obtain a non-bailable warrant against Nasir from the court and inform Interpol to issue a red-corner notice to nab him.

PTI