According to the Xinhua broadcaster, the police detained Mohammed Rafiq in the southern state of Tamil Nadu following a telephone conversation between him and a local transport carrier which was leaked to social media. The police were also reportedly investigating the authenticity of the conversation.
"The conversation was mainly related to finances about vehicles. But suddenly the blast convict was heard saying, 'we have decided to eliminate Modi as we were the ones who had planted bombs when (former Deputy PM L.K.) Advani visited the city in 1998," the police said, as quoted by the broadcaster.
Rafiq was convicted of conducting blasts in the city of Coimbatore in 1998. A total of 12 bombs hit 11 places, killing 58 people and injuring over 200. He was released after completing his jail term.