Shiv Sena leaders claim they aren't aware of anyone by the name of Raja Rege, the man who allegedly corresponded with David Coleman Headley, when the 26/11 accused wanted to scout the saffron party headquarters. Headley contacted Rege, allegedly a Sena man, to secure a visit to Sena Bhawan, the party's head office in Dadar (West), reports said, while plotting to assassinate Sena supremo Bal Thackeray.u00a0u00a0

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Headley, who scouted Sena headquarters, testified at co-accused Tawahhur Rana's ongoing trial in Chicago that there was a plot to assassinate Bal Thackeray by his ISI and LeT handlers. He talked about the hatred against Shiv Sena among his Pakistani handlers. Sena leaders said they do not know anyone by that name working at the senior level or within the Sena Bhawan, but that they will look into the matter. Mahadev Deole, senior Sena leader and former mayor, said, "I haven't heard this name before."

Rege told a news channel yesterday, "Yes, there was a mail sent to me by Headley requesting a visit to Sena Bhawan. But I told him that the party head office isn't a tourist spot." Officials say the authenticity of Rege is questionable and senior party leaders are trying to find who and where Rege is. Meanwhile, Bal Thackeray issued a statement saying his Sainiks are competent enough to protect him.