New Delhi: Three Italians from whose
hotel room cartridges were recovered are yet to get a clean
chit from the Delhi Police even as there was no clarity on how
the ammunition landed there, police sources said on Sunday.
Police are awaiting a report from Italy about the
antecedents of the Italians who were brought from Maharashtra
on Friday after 24 live cartridges were recovered from their
room in Hotel Radisson here before giving an all clear
certificate, they said.
Giulio Ponetto, Giovanni Ceccomello and Donato
D`Angello, who have "joined the investigations", were picked
up from Mumbai and Pune on Thursday, a day after 24 cartridges
and two dismantled magazines were found from the hotel. The
two Indians were later released.
"They have joined the investigations and are helping
us in the probe. They are not under detention. Investigations
are on. We have not found anything against them as of now.
They have been continuously denying that they have planted the
cartridges," a senior police official said.
The Italians have been questioned for the past three
days, he said.
Police appear to be struggling to link them to the
recovery. "We do not have any direct evidence to link them to
the recovery," the official said adding they could be released
soon if nothing is found.
Asked if the Italians are cleared in this case, then
who do they suspect to be behind it, the official said, "we
will be back to square one. We have to begin from scratch.
It will be a tough job to find the origin." Police are investigating whether they had smuggled the cartridges into the country or bought it here besides their contacts in the country.
The Italians, who claimed to be working with a
petrochemical company, had checked into three rooms in Hotel
Radisson on May 24 and left after seven hours, according to
Delhi Police.
A case was registered under the Arms Act.
PTI
