Headley trail hot again, NIA puts 4 Mumbai men through polygraph test
New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has put four Mumbai men through polygraph tests after establishing that they had been in contact with Lashkar-e-Toiba operative David Coleman Headley and his accomplice Tahawwur Hussain Rana.
The four, who sources said hold "important keys" to the 26/11 conspiracy, were called to Delhi recently. The NIA is likely to use them as witnesses.
Both Headley and Rana were arrested in Chicago in October 2009. Over several visits to India in the months and years before 26/11, Headley had scoped out the targets that the terrorists hit that night.
Among the four people examined by the NIA was Rajaram Rege, a public relations officer with the Shiv Sena. His name figured in a few reports about Headley's alleged confessions some months ago. Rege was put through the lie detector test and questioned on his association with Headley and Rana, sources said.
When contacted by The Sunday Express, Rege acknowledged that he had been "contacted" by the NIA, but refused to speak further. "The case is over now. I do not want to comment on it," he said over the phone from Mumbai.
The second person on the NIA's radar is Jogeshwari resident Mohd Bashir Sheikh, who sources said, has known Rana since 2002. Sheikh is learnt to have admitted he met Rana 8-9 times, and found his accommodation in Mumbai.
"Sheikh first met Rana while he was a cab driver in the US in connection with his application for immigration to Canada. He was looking for citizenship in either the US or Canada. However, he came back to India in 2005, and subsequently visited Rana's immigration office in Worli," said an NIA officer.
Sheikh could not be reached for a comment.
The third person is Abdul Majeed Kutty, owner of Jumbo Electronics in the Fort area. NIA sources said Headley purchased cameras and electronic equipment from this shop, which he subsequently used to film terror targets in India. The NIA is learnt to have found details of the purchases, which are part of the evidence in the case.
Kutty refused to comment.
The fourth person is another Jogeshwari resident, Abdul Haq Dhukka. Sources said Dhukka had met Headley during the latter's stay in Mumbai.
When contacted, Dhukka said he had given his statement to the NIA, and refused to elaborate.
Source: The Sunday Express
The four, who sources said hold "important keys" to the 26/11 conspiracy, were called to Delhi recently. The NIA is likely to use them as witnesses.
Both Headley and Rana were arrested in Chicago in October 2009. Over several visits to India in the months and years before 26/11, Headley had scoped out the targets that the terrorists hit that night.
Among the four people examined by the NIA was Rajaram Rege, a public relations officer with the Shiv Sena. His name figured in a few reports about Headley's alleged confessions some months ago. Rege was put through the lie detector test and questioned on his association with Headley and Rana, sources said.
When contacted by The Sunday Express, Rege acknowledged that he had been "contacted" by the NIA, but refused to speak further. "The case is over now. I do not want to comment on it," he said over the phone from Mumbai.
The second person on the NIA's radar is Jogeshwari resident Mohd Bashir Sheikh, who sources said, has known Rana since 2002. Sheikh is learnt to have admitted he met Rana 8-9 times, and found his accommodation in Mumbai.
"Sheikh first met Rana while he was a cab driver in the US in connection with his application for immigration to Canada. He was looking for citizenship in either the US or Canada. However, he came back to India in 2005, and subsequently visited Rana's immigration office in Worli," said an NIA officer.
Sheikh could not be reached for a comment.
The third person is Abdul Majeed Kutty, owner of Jumbo Electronics in the Fort area. NIA sources said Headley purchased cameras and electronic equipment from this shop, which he subsequently used to film terror targets in India. The NIA is learnt to have found details of the purchases, which are part of the evidence in the case.
Kutty refused to comment.
The fourth person is another Jogeshwari resident, Abdul Haq Dhukka. Sources said Dhukka had met Headley during the latter's stay in Mumbai.
When contacted, Dhukka said he had given his statement to the NIA, and refused to elaborate.
Source: The Sunday Express