Delhi Police's special cell has arrested a top Jaish-e-Mohammad operative near Red Fort in the early hours of Friday after a month-long-investigation launched following the Pulwama terror attack. Sajjad Khan (27), a resident of Pulwama was arrested near the Lajpat Rai market late Thursday night, they said

NEW DELHI: A Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist Sajjad Khan, a close aide of Pulwama attack mastermind Muddasir was arrested here, police said on Friday.

Sajjad Khan (27), a resident of Pulwama was arrested near the Lajpat Rai market late Thursday night, they said.

During in-chamber proceedings, Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Syal allowed NIA to quiz him in the case.

The NIA questioned Sajjad inside the court for half-an-hour and thereafter requested the court to grant his custodial interrogation.

The NIA had requested for 10 days remand of Sajjad to unearth the deep-rooted conspiracy. Sajjad's defence counsel MS Khan, however, opposed it. The court gave seven days remand, till March 29.

Sajjad was presented before the court where Delhi Police handed over his custody to the NIA.

"Muddasir, the mastermind of Pulwama attack was killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir recently," Pramod Singh Kushwah, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) said. 

Sajjad was tasked by Mudassir to establish a sleeper cell in Delhi, the officer added. 

Forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district after a JeM terrorist rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into their bus, which was part of a convoy going to Srinagar from Jammu in February.