A wanted accused in the 13/7 Mumbai blasts, who had planted one of the bombs that went off that fateful evening, had enrolled himself at a gymnasium owned by the family of underworld don-turned-politician Arun Gawli, the Anti-Terrorism Squad said on Friday.
As Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Rakesh Maria claimed a breakthrough in the 13/7 Mumbai blasts case on Monday he seems to have ruffled quite a few feathers. Though he junked out reports of a tiff with the special cell of the Delhi police in carrying out the probe, insiders say the arrests of the two Darbhanga operatives were an attempt by the ATS to gain an upper hand in the investigation.
After delivering the judgment awarding death sentence to Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist arrested during the terror siege on Mumbai, Judge Madan Lalakshman Tahaliyani officially recorded his appreciation for Rakesh Maria, former head of the crime branch who investigated the case, and his assistant Deven Bharti. The judge didn't also forget to mention the media's positive role
K P Raghuvanshi removed as the chief of Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad, said sources from Maharashtra's home department on Thursday.
Two persons have been arrested from Pune and Nashik by Mumbai's Anti-Terrorism Squad in connection with the German Bakery blast case in Pune that left 16 people dead, Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil said on Wednesday.
One person has been arrested from Nashik and another detained from Jalgaon in connection with the threat call made at the residence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan. "One Abdul Gani Shah has been arrested from Nashik. According to the preliminary inquiry, he made the call to the CM's residence from outside Dheolali railway station. We have recovered eight SIM cards from him and a diary containing the telephone numbers of several ministers," said ATS chief.
Investigators claim that the all possible angles are being looked into. Toral Varia takes a look at the task cut out for them.
The Maharashtra government has not received any resignation letter from Mumbai Police Crime Branch chief Rakesh Maria, Home Minister R R Patil said. Patil's clarification comes in the wake of media reports that Maria threatened to resign, upset over the allegations made against him by Vinita Kamte, widow of martyred Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte (East), in her book To the Last Bullet, on the circumstances leading to her husband's death.
Authorities of the Mumbai police had to protect Ajmal Kasab, the sole Pakistani terrorist arrested during the November 26 attack on the city, not only from the angry public, but even "from within the (police) department," Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Rakesh Maria said on Monday. "There was a lot of public anger. The dept had lost some of the best officers (during the attack), so we had to protect Kasab from within dept because there was anger in the department," said Maria.
Mumbai Police Commissioner Ahmad Javed on Tuesday sidestepped questions on the high-profile Sheena Bora murder case, which was being personally supervised by his predecessor Rakesh Maria, and instead sought to outline his priorities at his first full-fledged press conference.
Two days after he was shunted from the post of Mumbai Police Commissioner, Rakesh Maria's supervisory role in the Sheena Bora murder case remained clouded in uncertainty and the Maharashtra government was working on legal procedures to soon give him statutory powers.
'The officers are sitting on their chairs today because these men paid with their lives. The least they can do is to give them the honour they deserved,' says Vinita Kamte.
Bollywood filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt's son Rahul is a witness in the case relating to terror charge probe against American national David Headley, a top police official said.
"I am happy with the verdict of death being given to Kasab," said Eknath Omble, brother of assistant police sub-inspector Tukaram Omble, who died while trying to capture Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab, on the dreaded night of November 26, 2008.
Following the clarification from Maria, Gaffoor sang a different tune, and said that what he had meant was that 16 persons were involved in the terror attacks. Nine of them were killed, one is in custody with us, two others have been arrested, and four handlers are based in Pakistan, he said
Chota Shakeel, a close associate of Dawood Ibrahim, has been given the responsibility of killing Mohammad Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist arrested during the terror attack on Mumbai, according to Intelligence Bureau sources. IB sources have revealed that the Lashkar-e-Tayiba has asked Shakeel, a close associate of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, to kill Kasab. Shakeel is currently hiding in Pakistan, said IB officials, under the patronage of the ISI & LeT.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is expected to form a "final opinion" on the meeting of Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria with ex-IPL boss Lalit Modi in London based on the report on the matter to be submitted by the Home Secretary on Tuesday evening.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria has been asked to provide "info" on his statement regarding his meeting with tainted ex-IPL boss Lalit Modi in London.
The Mumbai police today booked Mohammed Ajmal Amir Iman, the lone terrorist caught alive during last month's terror strikes, under three more Acts.
Top Mumbai cop Rakesh Maria had not only hidden facts about location of Additional Commissioner Ashok Kamte during the 26/11 terror strikes, but also concealed the timing of his death from the family, the deceased police officer's wife alleges in a book.
The Mumbai police on Wednesday arrested 5 persons in connection with the serial blasts in Ahmedabad. All the 5 arrested hail from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh.
A senior police official who was allegedly shot at by his deputy inside a police station in suburban Mumbai, has died.
The Mumbai police are yet to furnish to Interpol details about the nine terrorists killed during the 26/11 terror strikes for issuance of a "Black Notice" which can help get more information about the dead.
Two persons suspected to be senior Pakistani army officers were named on Wednesday in the chargesheet filed by Mumbai police in connection with the 26/11 terror attacks.
"We have received intelligence inputs stating that Kasab's life may be under threat from the underworld," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria said.
Mumbai Police has reportedly not furnished to Interpol any details yet about the nine terrorists killed during the 26/11 attack on the country's financial capital for issuance of a "Black Notice", which can help get more information about the dead.
The Mumbai's Khar police probing the murder, which has caused sensation and ripples, found three e-mails in Sheena's inbox while scrutinising Indrani's laptop.
"The purpose of allowing the DCPs to interact with Kasab is to understand the psyche of a terrorist. This will help the DCPs to take precautionary and remedial measures to prevent any such crimes in future," Rakesh Maria, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) said on Friday.
Clearing the air on why all three top officials -- Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare, Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ashok Kamte and encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar who succumbed to bullet injuries -- were sitting in one vehicle, Mumbai Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria said: "Given the circumstances they sat together in the police vehicle, which was available to them."
A five-member team of the Interpol met Mumbai Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria on Monday and sought details of Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone terrorist captured alive during the November 26 terror strikes.
"The terror outfits working against India in Pakistan are not non-state actors. Our government has so far held the view that certain elements from Pakistan are involved in the Mumbai attacks. It should rather say that Pakistan itself is involved in the attacks," Satish Chandra, former high commissioner in Pakistan and former deputy national security adviser, said at a seminar in New Delhi.
Kasab's letter has been forwarded by the Mumbai police to the External Affairs and the Union Home Ministries for necessary action, Joint Commissioner of Police Rakesh Maria told media persons in Mumbai on Saturday.
Three months ahead of the terror attacks in Mumbai, the group of ten terrorists who carried out the strikes were shown photos of their targets and not allowed to meet anyone lest the plot was leaked. The members of the group took turns at manning the watchtower of the boat and guarding the captain of the vessel Ajaysinh Solanki, who was later killed when the boat reached near Mumbai's shores.The police said the diary is proof that there were only ten terrorists on board.
The number of militants who entered the city through the sea was 10 and "they are all accounted for," said Joint Commissioner of Mumbai Police (Crime Branch) Rakesh Maria. He, however, said that they were probing possible local support being extended by some people in the metropolis and "everything would be clear only after investigations".
The Mumbai police on Friday conducted searches at Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh to trace one of the key members of Indian Mujahideen suspected to be involved in the recent series of bomb blasts across the country. "The crime branch is looking out for Abu Rashid, who is allegedly one of the key members of the Indian Mujahideen," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria told PTI.
A major general from Pakistan finds a mention in the 26/11 chargesheet. Chief investigator of the case, Rakesh Maria said at a press conference after the chargesheet was filed that it is still unclear as to who this man could be.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria said the department is seriously considering taking action against those behind an over 30-minute interview of gangster Bunty Pandey telecast last week.
Three Kashmiri youths were detained for questioning by the police during search operations carried out in Mumbai, a senior police official said on Tuesday. Raids were carried out in multiple hotels and lodges across Mumbai as part of security measures following serial blasts in Ahmedabad and Bengaluru, the official said.
The Mumbai police on Monday suggested that the bodies of the nine terrorists killed during the 26/11 attacks may be handed over to Pakistan.
"The crime branch initiative will start soon. A team of experts will educate the users as to what kind of precautions should be taken while using the Wi-Fi internet connections," said Rakesh Maria, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime). "We will educate about Do's and Don'ts when they use Wi-Fi connections. A list of Do's and Don'ts will be given," said Maria.
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