Mumbai: Rahul Bhatt, son of ace film
director Mahesh Bhatt, was questioned by investigators to
probe his association with David Headley during the
Pakistani-American terror suspect's stay here.
The junior Bhatt was called by the officials of National
Investigation Agency (NIA) twice for detailed questioning on
Headley and what was the basis on which he found him to be an
undercover sleuth of US spy agency CIA, official sources said
today.
During questioning by NIA officials, Bhatt said
Headley had been often talking about commando training and
skills, clearing obstacles. Headley had also boasted about his
swift responses to any situation, the sources said.
Bhatt was also asked about the places he visited along
with Headley and the nature of his conversation he had with
the terror suspect, the sources said. A formal statement of
Rahul Bhatt was however yet to be recorded and would be done
so once other things fell in place, the sources added.
Rahul's father Mahesh Bhatt told PTI that he had been
called by the NIA officials to understand the basis of his
claim that Headley was a CIA agent.
Bhatt has been maintaining that his son had done a duty
what every citizen is expected to do but voiced his
displeasure over some reports which had projected his son in a
bad light.
NIA, which was set up in the aftermath of 26/11 Mumbai
attacks, has registered a case against Headley and his
accomplice Tahawwur Rana.
Headley and Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian national, were
booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and for
conspiring to wage a war against the country.
The NIA had earlier recorded the statement of Vilas
Warack, a gym instructor who met Headley along with Rahul.
Warack, who worked as an instructor at the high-profile
Moksha Gym frequented by Headley, was asked about locations
the American visited and names of persons whom he met there.
He has told the investigators that he had introduced
Headley to Rahul Bhatt.
Warack claims that his sincerity cost him the job as he
had voluntarily gone to Joint Commissioner Rakesh Maria and
narrated everything he knew about Headley. The gym owner
denied that Warack has been sacked and said he can resume his
duties.
The gym instructor said he had met Headley at the centre
and the US national asked him to be his fitness trainer and
got friendly in the process.
Later, when he introduced Headley to Rahul, all three
became friends and attended a number of high-profile parties
in the tinsel town.
The gym instructor said that when he came to know about
the terror links of Headley on television, he immediately
approached the police and gave details of his relations with
the terror suspect.
-PTI
First Published: Wednesday, December 16, 2009, 20:10