Appearing before a local court, district government pleader Ujjwala Pawar said: “The police want to search his house in Pune and Solapur. They also want to investigate his mobile phone records to check if he was in touch with any terrorist organisation or had any accomplices.” However, in their remand application, the police did not mention any suspicion of Mane being associated with any terrorist organisation.

The court remanded Mane, who was not represented by a lawyer, to police custody till February 3. Mane, who had a bandage tied on his head, said he nothing to say in his defence.

Appearing before the court on Thursday, district government pleader Ujjwala Pawar denied that bus driver Santosh Maruti Mane, 40, may have been overworked, saying he had got sufficient rest after returning from his last trip to Gangapur on Tuesday evening.

In their remand application filed before the court, the Pune police cited six reasons.

The police said they wanted to investigate whether Mane had any fight or argument with his colleagues, where he had gone and who he had met before committing the crime, and whether he had any accomplices. The police also want to conduct his identification parade and forensic test, for which his presence is required.

Mane was produced before judicial magistrate first class V B Bhora at around 1:30 pm amidst tight security by assistant commissioner of police Rajendrasinh Mohite. The case was transferred to the crime branch, and Mohite was appointed the investigating officer.