Author: C Unnikrishnan
Publication: The Times of India
Date: October 10, 2010
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Finally-local-dons-Headley-link-found/articleshow/6721555.cms
The Mumbai underworld's involvement in the
26/11 plot was always suspected but never proved. With no leads, this line
of line of inquiry was going cold. But a startling finding in the course of
an unrelated investigation could prove to be that piece of elusive evidence.
It appears that Chand Madar, the alleged diesel
smuggler who was shot dead close to the land mark CST station last month,
may have helped Pakistan-born jihadi David Coleman Headley to carry out a
recee of the Mumbai coastline to identify the point at which to disembark.
Chand, it's now believed, was more than mere
diesel smuggler. He was also a close associate and business partner of Mohammed
Ali Shaikh, allegedly an ally of fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim. But their relationship
is said to have soured over profit-sharing and Chand was murdered. Sources
said Chand's Headley connection cropped up during 24x7 surveillance of diesel
gangs operating on the high seas.
The diesel smugglers operated off the Mumbai
coast. Mohammed Ali Shaikh, who was arrested in connection with Chand's killing,
has now been detained by Mumbai Police under MCOCA, and for the first time,
the police has publicly acknowledged his links with the underworld. These
agencies were not so much concerned about diesel smuggling as they were with
the possibility of arms and ammunitions being smuggled in along with the other
contraband.
The surveillance officers handling the listening
devices were taken aback when they heard Chand telling some of his associates
about having taken Headley on his boat. What struck them was that the slain
diesel smuggler was not boasting, but expressing his fear of being being picked
up for detailed questioning by various agencies on how Headley had reached
him.
This happened in November last, soon after
media carried reports on the friendship that Headley had struck with film
maker Mahesh Bhatt's son, Rahul, at a gym. Chand was scared that the police
would soon be coming after him for his Headley connection. Significantly,
officials in the crime branch said that they were still not aware of Chand's
link with Headley. ''As far as I know, Headley hired a boat and carried out
a reccee off Mumbai coast,'' an officer said. Sources who spoke about the
Chand-Headley link refused to disclose whether any follow-up action has been
initiated to unearth the Chand-Headley link. Sources said that they believed
that Chand is likely to have been instructed by Ali, with whom Chand was working
at that point of time, to help out Headley. In the course of his interrogation,
Headley has admitted to have carried out a recee of Mumbai coast during his
visits to the city between 2006 and 2008.
Ali is known to agencies. His dubious links
with terrorists and anti-nationals came to light in mid-2007 when he was approached
by two persons from Indonesia who were exploring the possibility of attacking
Mumbai from the sea and were scouting for an apartment in Colaba. One of the
Indonesians was related to an accused in the Al Qaida bombing of a Bali night
club in 2002.
Ali then approached an informant, Salim, asking
him to rent a flat in his wife's name. However, Salim, a familiar face for
the central agencies, lost his nerve and squealed to the Intelligence Bureau.
Salim told IB that he has learnt that the duo were planning to attack the
US consulate at Breach Candy by sea. The foreigners were deported and months
later, on Sept 17, 2007, Salim died in an accident that's currently being
investigated by the crime branch. What happened to IB investigations against
Ali is shrouded in mystery as he appears to have continued with his activities,
and even contested the last LS election.
