The National Defence Academy on Tuesday said it had checked the antecedents of Anwar Ali, arrested in connection with the Mulund blast, before hiring him as professor and ruled out the possibility of leak of any sensitive information.

"Anwar Ali was first employed by NDA between 1996 to 2000 on contract basis to teach Urdu poetry. When NDA received a lady lecturer from UPSC [Union Public Service Commission], Dr Ali's contract was terminated. At the time of entering into contract with Ali, routine police enquiry was conducted," Major General I A Satur said in Pune.

"When the lady lecturer left NDA, Ali was recalled in 2003," he said. "This time, however, there was no enquiry as Ali was checked by the police earlier".

He said the academy came to know about Ali's alleged involvement in the Mulund blast only through the media.

Around the first week of May, Ali did not give lectures and hence a termination notice was served to him, he said.