In the first arrest in connection with Malegaon serial bomb blasts, a Students of Islamic Movement of India activist Noor-ul-Hooda was on Monday rounded up for his alleged complicity in the conspiracy and police claimed it was 'closer' to cracking the case.

Hooda, 25, was produced in a Malegaon court, which remanded him to police custody till November 3, Director General of Police P S Pasricha said in Mumbai.

This is the first arrest in the case relating to Malegaon blasts, which claimed 31 lives and injured many people on September 8. Two other suspects have been identified and will be arrested soon. The suspects Shabbir Batterywala and Raees Ahmed are under custody and their transfer in the Malegaon blasts case will be sought soon, Pasricha said.

Hooda, a resident of Malegaon, is suspected to have planted explosives that went off in the textile town, the DGP said, charging that he had played an active role in the conspiracy.

"Hooda is a SIMI activist and was already under arrest under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for his role in the planting of a hoax bomb in a shopping complex in Malegaon on September 13. Today, he was arrested for his complicity in the Malegaon blasts conspircay," Pasricha said.      

The DGP said the bombs used in the blasts were assembled in the garage of 'main conspirator' Shabbir at Malegaon.

Earlier reports had indicated that Hooda is a Bangladeshi national but the DGP said he was a resident of Malegaon.

The involvement of both Shabbir and Hooda in the Malegaon blasts came to light during their interrogations after their arrest in a bomb hoax case.