Government admits to turf war in 13/7 Mumbai blasts probe

By Aman Sharma

The union home ministry on Tuesday admitted to a turf war between the elite anti-terror units of the Delhi and Maharashtra police, which is believed to be behind the lost opportunity to arrest the two Pakistani bombers in the 13/7 serial blasts case.

Home secretary R.K. Singh has confirmed that Naqi Ahmed Sheikh, arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for being a key plotter of the Mumbai blasts, was actually acting as an informer for a covert operation by the Intelligence Bureau and Delhi Police to nab Bakas and Tarvez - the two 13/7 Pakistani bombers.



'It is true that the IB and Delhi Police were running an operation. But that he (Naqi) was an informer in a particular operation… that is separate.



Maharashtra ATS and Delhi Police are currently involved in a blame game over Mumbai serial blasts probe

'That does not preclude the fact that he could have been or was involved in the 13/7 blasts,' Singh said.

The home secretary said he was 'very happy' that the ATS had cracked the 13/7 blasts case.

This was a U-turn from the angst expressed on Monday by the IB and Delhi Police officers.



But virtually admitting the turf war in this case, Singh said the ministry would now draw up a methodology to ensure that the agencies did not cross each other's path.

'Most importantly, we will work out a system whereby different agencies work together, rather than separately, on a case.





'We are drafting a standard operating procedure (SOP) after a meeting with all the DGPs. For more coordination, we will quickly bring on the ground the national counter-terrorism centre (NCTC),' Singh said. The turf war between the IB and Delhi Police's special cell on the one hand and the Maharashtra ATS on the other had begun in November last year, after the special cell arrested six Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorists and claimed to have cracked Pune's German Bakery blasts case. The ATS apparently saw this move as a snub by the Delhi Police. Maharashtra ATS chief Rakesh Maria says Bakas and Tarvez left their rented accommodation in Byculla, Mumbai, a day after the Delhi Police made public the six IM arrests.



However, the IB had also laid its hands in December on Naqi, who admitted he had helped the Pakistani bombers rent the Byculla house.

Naqi helped the Delhi Police make sketches of the bombers and also accompanied its officers on an IB-monitored covert operation to Mumbai.

There, the Delhi officers took up a room near the Byculla house in the strong hope that the Pakistani bombers or the main mastermind, Yasin Bhatkal, would show up.

The Delhi Police were also monitoring a telephone number through which Bhatkal is believed to have called the Byculla house landlady, telling her that he would come to collect the Rs 85,000 he had paid her as deposit.

The ATS, meanwhile, got hold of the number and raided the house, questioning the landlady and later arresting Naqi.

Though the IB says the ATS move alerted the bombers and Bhatkal, who never returned to the house, the home ministry admitted the ATS was not informed of this operation.

Maharashtra ATS made a similar claim in Pune blast

The claim by the Maharashtra ATS of having cracked the 13/7 serial blasts is hard to digest because of the uncanny similarities it has to the German Bakery blast probe script.

In the 2010 Pune blast case, the ATS was left red-faced on more than one occasion. In the German Bakery probe - marred by several controversies, flip-flops and questionable evidence - the police have so far arrested only Himayat Baig among the six accused.



He is nothing more than a 'conspirator' - and it could be an uphill task to get him convicted.



The arrest on Monday of Naqi Ahmed Sheikh and Nadeem Akhtar Ahmed Sheikh in the 13/7 Mumbai blasts reminds one of the goof-ups the ATS committed in the German Bakery case.



Almost two years since the February 13, 2010 blast at Pune's German Bakery, the ATS is yet to name a prime suspect. In December 2010, the ATS arrested Baig, for his alleged involvement in the Pune blast.



Baig, who hails from Udgir in Latur, Maharashtra, ran an internet cafe in his hometown when he was arrested.



But sources said he is neither the executor of the blasts, nor the mastermind.



The 2,500-page chargesheet filed by the ATS neither accuses Baig of procuring the explosives needed to manufacture the bombs, nor with assembling the bombs or even planting it.

