NEW DELHI: The Mumbai Police’s ATS (Anti-Terror Squad) has ‘delayed’ the success in cracking 13/7 Mumbai serial blasts case and has left the Delhi police’s special cell (also anti-terrorist cell) fuming. The Delhi police had already lodged complaint with the Home Ministry on the Mumbai police’s high-handedness, which had lead to botching-up of their operation to nab IM’s top commander and purported 13/7 mastermind Yasin Bhatkal in Mumbai.
According to intelligence sources, difference between the Mumbai and Delhi police emerged over the arrest of Naqee Ahmed, a close associate of Yasin, for his alleged role in 13/7 blasts. The Delhi police in December last year had picked up Naqee, a resident of Shaheen Bagh in South Delhi, and then started an operation to nab Yasin from Mumbai.
Acting on a tip-off that Yasin is still hiding in Mumbai, the Delhi police’s special cell team had taken Naqee to Mumbai. However, Yasin had managed to escape from his hide-out. The police continued to make efforts by trying to lure him through Naqee.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai police were running a parallel operation to hunt Yasin and learnt about the presence of Naqee and arrested him. Despite protests from the Delhi police, the Mumbai police did not cooperate and made him main accused in the 13/7 case.
In fact, when mediapersons questioned ATS chief Rakesh Maria about the incident during his press conference held on Monday to announce success of arrest made in the case, he avoided a straight answer. He denied of having any confrontation with the Delhi police, but admitted that sometimes there will be problem between two forces due to competition. He said the force would not like to take credit for solving terror attack of the magnitude of the Mumbai attack.
Meanwhile, Naqee’s elder brother Taquee is running from pillar to post in Delhi to get help in the matter. He feels cheated that his brother was made an accused despite helping the police in cracking the case.