Agency probes reveal that while Congress leader was called from Karkare's office landline, anyone could have made the call
Agency probes reveal that while Congress leader was called from Karkare's office landline, anyone could have made the call
Initial investigations by several agencies indicate that slain Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare may never have made a call to Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh to relay fears about a threat from right wing extremists.
Yesterday, Digvijay Singh presented the call records he had obtained from the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited to 'prove' that Karkare had indeed called him on his mobile phone from the landline of the Maharashtra ATS.
Police sources said that though itemised phone bill records indicate that a call was indeed made to Singh's BSNL number from Karkare's office number, it could have been made by anyone. It is not necessary that the ATS chief was on the line.
Karkare's deputy, Additional Commissioner of Police Param Bir Singh, said he had checked Karkare's call records after his death in the 26/11 attacks. No call was made from his mobile number to any BSNL numbers.
Police sources added that it is unlikely for Karkare to make unofficial calls around 5 pm, which is usually the meeting time with junior officers.
Normally, itemised phone records are maintained for a year. In extreme cases it may be saved for two years, a police officer pointed out.
Moreover, police sources say that Karkare may never have been under threat as the vigorous security provided to the ATS chief is formidable for any one to take on.
"The ATS chief's post is extremely sensitive," a source said, "As such, Karkare was one of the most protected officers in Mumbai Police soon after he took charge of the squad.
He was guarded round the clock by a phalanx of commandos trained at the National Security Guard centre at Manesar near New Delhi."
His security was upgraded soon after he nabbed some alleged right wing extremists in 2008 for the Malegaon blasts. It is very unlikely they had the capacity to attack him, informed a senior police officer.
Back Story
Congress leader Digvijay Singh had riled tempers of the political right, including the Opposition, for his comments that Karkare had called him a few hours before he was killed in the 26/11 attacks to say he was under threat from Hindu extremists for his probe and arrests in the 2008 Malegaon blasts.
He had been accused of politicising Karkare's death by insinuating that it was the right wing fundamentalists who had killed him.
But Digvijay has clarified his stand, stating he is certain that it was the LeT terrorists who had slain the ATS chief.
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