Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Union Home Secretary RK Singh on Tuesday backed Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad’s (ATS) claim that Naqi Ahmed Wasi Ahmed Sheikh, who was arrested in connection with the July 13, 2011 blasts in Mumbai, was indeed involved in the terror attack.
The Home Secretary’s remarks assume importance in view of a row over Naqi’s involvement, after reports emerged that he was a Delhi Police and Intelligence Bureau informer and was wrongly implicated in the blasts case.
The Home Secretary also confirmed that the suspect was working as police informer.
Singh’s endorsement of Naqi’s involvement in the blasts also lends credence to ATS’ claims that the 13/7 blasts case has indeed been solved.
While announcing the breakthrough in the 13/7 probe, the ATS yesterday said that Naqi (22) and Nadeem Akhtar Ashfaq Sheikh (23) were arrested on January 12 but the mastermind of the crime Yasin Bhatkal, a top Indian Mujahideen operative, and the planters of the IEDs used in the blasts managed to evade arrest.
Rubbishing reports that Naqi was innocent and that he was being tortured in police custody, ATS chief Rakesh Maria said that he was aware of Bhatkal’s antecedents.
According to reports yesterday, for the elite Special Cell of Delhi Police and special squad of Intelligence Bureau, Naqi was the person who provided them with crucial leads in identifying Waqas and Tabrez, the two bombers in the 13/7 blast that left 27 people dead.
According to the officials, he was in Mumbai only to help in tracking down two bombers and the highly-secretive operation was being monitored by the top echelons of the security establishment closely from Delhi.
Ahmed was in the megapolis with undercover sleuths to help nab the two bombers, whom the ATS chief on Monday identified as suspect A and suspect B.
First Published: Tuesday, January 24, 2012, 15:21