Three local residents, who volunteered to assist in the Mumbai blasts investigations, were escorted to the metropolis by a Maharashtra police team.

"We have received a letter from Inspector Keshav S Shengle of the Mumbai Crime Branch, informing us about three persons who were being taken to the metropolis after they volunteered to assist in the serial blasts probe," K D Parashar, superintendent of police told PTI.

The Crime Branch team had been camping at Khandwa for the last few days conducting the probe, he said, adding they had been trying to gather information from local residents about the blasts.

During the course of their probe, the three persons conveyed their willingness to assist in it, he said.

The SP categorically said, "Neither can they be called accused, nor were they arrested or detained."

The volunteers were identified as Baba alias Mirza Sajjad Baig, Karim Maulvi and Hamid Kazi, police said adding the
three left with the Mumbai police team on Tuesday evening.