Bhatkal’s aides worked in city for many months

MUMBAI: Investigations into the escape of two suspected Pakistani nationals, who according to the anti-terrorist squad (ATS) planted two of the 13/7 bombs, has revealed that they worked in the city for several months. The first reportedly worked at a mobile phone repairing shop at Sewree and the other at a builder’s office in Nalasopara.
Security establishment sources said while the police lost Yasin Bhatkal, an important member of the Indian Mujahideen (IM), due to the infighting among police units—the Maharashtra ATS and Delhi police—the later was still on the case and claimed they will crack it soon.
Residents of Habib Apartment, where Waqas and Tabrez stayed for several months, were not aware of where exactly they worked. “The two told some of us that they were working in call centres,” said a resident. The police have found mobile numbers being used by the two nationals and with the help of them they found the call data records.
“The police are working on the numbers and are calling people whose numbers were found on their mobiles,” a source said.
The ATS is interrogating Mohammed Naqi to see if he had helped the two procure permanent account number (PAN) cards on fake documents. “He has not admitted to it yet. He could be given a clean chit in the terror case. However, we cannot take a chance and are exploring the case from all the angles,” said an officer who played a vital role in detaining Naqi.
But a major section of the police and security establishment is not convinced that Bhatkal dared stay near ATS headquarters even when he was much sought-after. “The Delhi police had almost cracked the case but the ATS interference gave the culprits a chance to slip away,” said an informer working on this case. He added that the ATS was picking up people and trying its best for a breakthrough.
A Naqi family member said he was being tortured in police custody. “My nephew (Naqi) is innocent. He did not know anybody called Bhatkal. We were told that he was arrested in a cheating case. We would like to know what he exactly wrong,” said Umar Farooque (52), Naqi’s uncle. “They (ATS officials) want him to confess to something he was never involved in,” Farooque said. The ATS denied the allegations.