Cops speak in different voices over Atif
Rashmi Rajput
The revelations by Mumbai Police related to the Delhi encounter is raising questions over the killing of Atif -- alleged mastermind behind the Delhi serial blasts.
The lead to Atif, they claim, came from Afzal Usmani -- one of the suspects who stole the cars used to plant bombs in Ahmedabad.
The Mumbai Police had arrested Usmani almost a month ago in August. He gave detailed descriptions of Atif and his associates whom he had met in Gujarat.
"Afzal knew Atif and had met him in Gujarat," said Rakesh Maria, Joint Commissioner of Police.
Shortly after the Delhi blasts, the Mumbai Police had informed the Delhi Police about Atif's presence in Delhi.
Sources say the Mumbai Police had asked their Delhi counterparts not to act in haste against Atif. Instead, they should put him under observation so that Mumbai cops could learn more about Atif's activities.
But the Delhi Police went ahead with the encounter, which Mumbai Police sources say was done in a hurry to claim credit.
However, no one from the force is willing to say this on record.
"We all worked in tandem - Gujarat, Mumbai and Delhi," said Rakesh Maria, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime).
The claim by the Mumbai Police on the Atif tip-off raises even further questions.
Gujarat police had also claimed credit for the tip-off which led to Aitf. They claimed to have given Delhi Police five cell phone numbers based on the interrogation of the Gujarat blast accused which were put under the scanner.
One of the accused had called a Delhi number which turned out to be Atif's.
So, two police forces - each claiming credit for having led the Delhi Police to Atif - are throwing up more questions over what is already a controversial encounter.