Bhubaneswar, June 2: Maoist commander Duna Keshav Rao alias Azad is finally in the custody of state crime branch and “talking”.

Police took Azad, who surrendered in Hyderabad on May 18, on a three-day remand after he was produced in the court of the sub-divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM) at Nayagarh today.

However, the crime branch’s claim that Azad, a native of Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh, was arrested from Bhubaneswar on Wednesday night, is likely to spark a controversy as the circumstances of the arrest were not explained by the authorities. The additional director general of police (crime branch), Abhay, refused to elaborate on the arrest of the rebel leader who was secretary of the Vansdhara division of the CPI (Maoist) and wanted in several cases in both Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.

Sources said that though a special crime branch team had gone to Andhra Pradesh in the wake of his surrender to secure his custody, it had not been possible because of legal complications. He appears to have been brought to Bhubaneswar in a rather hush-hush manner and shown as arrested here.

According to Azad’s mother D. Kambilamma, whom the rebel leader had visited following his surrender, the police, while taking away her son a few days ago, had assured he would return shortly. The mother’s wait for her son was likely to be long as there is a distinct possibility of Orissa crime branch seeking an extension of Azad’s remand for questioning.

The ADG, crime branch, said that the rebel leader would be produced in court again after the expiry of 72-hour remand and if need be, an extension of the remand for further questioning would be sought. The extension might be required in a view of a large number of cases pending against Azad in Orissa where he is facing charges in connection with the Naygarh attack of 2008 and the killing of Vishva Hindu Parishad leader Swami Laxmananand Saraswati and four of his followers at the Jalaspeta ashram in Kandhamal district the same year. The rebel leader was also involved in an attack at Gajapati district’s R. Udaygiri town in 2006.

Crime branch sources said that Azad, who was taken on remand today in connection with the Nayagarh case No. 44 of 2008, had been involved in more than 10 cases of violence in the state. A chargesheet was filed against him and six other Maoists in the Laxmananand Saraswati murder case last month. This is better known in the police circles as Tmudibandha case No. 37 with the accused charged under sections 147, 148, 452, 302, 120/149 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act.

Crime branch sources expect to tap a mine of information from Azad, who was among the top Maoist leaders of the state, considered next only to CPI (Maoist) state secretary Savyasachi Panda.

“We are going to milk him,” a crime branch official said.