KASAB AND MUMBAI POLICE

What could be happening. Is it raining bullets? Are people running away? These thoughts were going in my mind at a height of 24,000 feet in a Jet Aiways plane while I was on way to Mumbai on the afternoon of November 27, 2008 (Thursday). Barely a week before this terror strike, I was in megalopolis in connection with the Malegaon blast investigation which had shown extremists belonging to a little known Hindu group having done this act. For me things were definitely not the same as I was missing Hemant Karkare and Ashok Kamte - two officers whom  I had met during my trip. Little did I know that I will be writing their obituary a week later. (May their soul rest in peace). 

            As the plane touched the runway, I switched on my phone only to see that there were some messages. Immediately upon arrival along with a colleague of mine, I met another fellow scribe and we were quick enough to exchange our notes. One person had been picked up by Mumbai police (God give solace to Tukaram Omble's soul) but no one was sure of the identity. After a calls by my fellow guy from the fraternity, we came across the name as Ajmal Amir Amin Mir alias "Kasai" which later turned out to b Ajmal Amir Kasab. After necessary formalities of stories over a period of following days, the picture was clear that Kasab was the modern face of terrorism whose face will haunt several families for years to come. He has been sentenced to Death and rightly so.
            But my issue is not Kasab, because from the word go of the trial was to end in the verdict -- to be hanged till dead, what intrigues me is the role of Mumbai's stake holders (read Shiv Sena and MNS). I believe their must be too many rat holes where these stake holders must have stashed themselves.  (Interested people may read (http://kashmir-timemachine.blogspot.com/2009/01/w-hen-i-was-thinking-of-going-to-bed.html)
            What I want to focus is on lies of Mumbai Police in the case for implicating Fahim Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed. Tough they are being tried in other cases in Uttar Pradesh, why were they implicated in this case? And for few actors, Kasab proved to be a platform to jump into limelight.


Rakesh Maria, the then Joint Commissioner of Crime and Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, emerged as self-styled heroes in this field. All riding on the piggy of hard work of extremely intelligent officials of Intelligence Bureau who spent days and nights tracking every movement. While they were toiling to get all the clinching evidence to nail Pakistan, Maria and his gang were busy conceiving a mischievous plan of hogging the limelight and were helped by then Commissioner of Police Hassan Gafoor, who had hid himself in a hall rather than being in a control room of police. The case went to crime branch and within no time, two people were picked from Uttar Pradesh jail -- Fahim Ansari and Sabbauddin Ahmed -- I jumped out of my bed because these arrests were made by February 2008 and I had, through my contacts, procured their interrogation report where they had said that they wanted to carry out reconnaissance of Mumbai but could not manage. What is their role in this attack, was a constant question that I was asking myself. Even the charge sheet filed by the Mumbai Crime Branch against these two was nothing but lies lies and lies. The only truth in the voluminous charge sheet was the intercepts made by IB officials and other details provided by the US investigators. A concerted campaign was launched by Maria and his gang by their so-called leaks to media. (The leaks were bigger than Bhopal gas tragedy with only difference that in Bhopal human lives were lost but here the brains of lakhs of Indians were washed).
            Maria would have carried through with his bunch of lies had not David Headley arrest been made by the FBI and subsequently his confession of carrying out all reconnaissance activities for Lashker-e-Taiba terror group. Maria did not know where to hide his face after Headley slapped on his investigation from thousands of miles in Chicago.

Ujjwal Nikam, a lawyer, who represented the state pretended as if Maria's truth was the final verdict about Ansari and Ahmed. He, no less than a clown, stood in front of media and projected as if he had just turned the tables in favour of Indians. Nikkam Saheb, wake up...the court gave death to Kasab whom the entire world had watched spraying bullets at innocents. Nikkam could manage to make the media follow but not the Honourable Judge of the court who lambasted him for lies on Ansari and Ahmed. Even a rookie lawyer could have ensured death penalty for Kasab then what is the big deal about you. Any Answers.


Himanshu Roy: God I feel like laughing when he appeared in a white dress and denim before the media today and started narrating the proceedings inside the court. An officer, who is generally perceived as a page three hopper in Mumbai circles, was talking about Kasab and investigations and blah blah blah till he came to the HIS MASTERS VOICE. "The investigations done by Maria ji......." enough for me to switch off the television set. Rather shut the "stud Roy". 
             So friends this is Mumbai Police and Nikkam's role in the entire investigations....God bless this country and help us get rid of such rats. Amen

TV NEWS

      What we missed on these days: So many things, I guess...and over a period of time I have been seeing that Television news has been corrupting and narrowing the intellectual skills of the country. I am writing this blog after so many days because somewhere in this world at least one person will be happy to see me back on this sphere of writing. The issue today I have chosen is the "Breaking News" concept of Television Channels.
      The nation saw two major controversies breaking in these days -- corruption in Indian Premier League and Phone Tapping of telephones -- Stop and think for a moment, whether this was something new. While the Indians were seen debating and passing the buck or stopping the buck somewhere, 500 kilometres from Raipur in India's Chattisgarh state, nearly 120 jawans were sending SOS messages to their headquarters for ration, drinking water and mosquito repellent cream as they have been encircled by Naxals, who are only blocking essential supplies to them.
       No buck was stopped or braking the news was done for these hapless para-military personnel who are ready to shed every drop of their blood for their "Mother Land" ( I guess this word has lost relevance). Ah there is a noted socialite from Mumbai whom you can find on a prime television channel discussing everything -- Nuclear issues, rape, mowing down of people in BMW, IPL, Phone tapping as if there was an intellectual bankruptcy in the country.
      The other was about closing down of airport in Kashmir between June 20 to July 10 because of the Indian Air Force wanted to carryout the resurfacing of the runway. This decision meant that over a lakh population in Kashmir would have suffered. From hoteliers to an ordinary Shikara wala would have suffered. And silently away from the flashing TV channels was seen Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah walking from one ministry to another to ensure that the tourism season did not suffer. He succeeded and ensured that the plan was deferred till the tourism season was a little low. His reason was that both tourism and Amarnath Yatra would have suffered as not only tourists but pilgrims used the air travel. This news was never seen on any television set. After all the suffering of people does not bring them at TAM or TRP ratings. A big man or woman has to be involved.
      Phone tapping brought another scam of auction of 2G in which a prominent PR personality has accused of lobbying for a minister. Ironically, the PR personality phones have some intercepts with a prominent TV English News Anchor (any guesses) and a former Editor of a major English daily.  Wonder whether anything is ever going to happen. At least that TV news channel has given it a decent burial, I only wonder how soon the newspapers would also stop it.
      I will try and bring this blog to life...With love and now let me keep a watch on further breaking. One day I may end up breaking the TV itself. But I guess the cartoon below explains our TV channels the best...please do down load it.(courtesy toondo.com)

      
      

Hi everyone!!!!

Hello readers,

remember me...Ah! I guess you must have forgotten this blog of mine. All this while I have been travelling places and have gathered lot of "masala". During the forthcoming days, I will share my experiences with Army on China, Shopian case, Kashmir and besides some more links about "Mumbai Meri Jaan". Ah some of the commentators have said they want to know my eye glass number. So dear friend, I don't wear any. Criticism is welcome but a healthy one will be appreciated. So watch out for this space.

Regards

Kashmir Watcher

JAMMU-KASHMIR POLICE A SAGA OF SACRIFICE and courage TO GO TO JAIL..

Jammu-Kashmir Police ke hum, Janbaaz sipahi hum... (Jammu and Kashmir Police “A Saga of Sacrifice and courage)

This is the song and motto of Jammu and Kashmir Police, braving militancy for last two decades. Nowadays as the militancy is showing a decline, the police have found a new job -- trapping its own men for no fault of theirs.. after Shopian one feels that the motto of Jammu and Kashmir Police “A Saga of Sacrifice and courage” needs to be changed to A Saga of Sacrifice and courage TO GO TO JAIL..

Shopian case – alleged rape and murder of two women – reminds me of a bed time story where an innocent is hanged because his neck fit the noose…though my granny narrated this story in a hilarious way but I realised the ugly face recently when I found four policemen behind bars – thanks to a High Court order, unheard in the legal history of this country.

Superintendent of Police Javed Iqbal Mattoo and his Deputy Rohit Baskotra might have questioned their wisdom of serving in Kashmir when Kashmiri officers were either running away from fighting militancy or having a prize posting using political clout. An analysis of posting and transfers of police officials has seen that so called promote IPS officials from Kashmir division have either chosen to remain confined to police headquarters or administrative division or posting in Delhi while the war against terrorism in the valley.

Ironically, poor Baskotra was away in Anantnag for five days when the alleged rape and murder case had taken place and Mattoo was trying to get a proper post-mortem report so that a decision could be taken as to how the investigations should proceed. What could Mattoo or the SHO do when the doctor decided to chicken out and did not give a proper autopsy report?

I guess ever since the bodies of two ladies were recovered on May 30, the entire administration has been trying to find a scapegoat in police – ignoring the heavy presence of Jamaat-e-Islamia cadres in Shopian area. The police did not even get time to find the culprits as people poured down in dozens and dozens. Eh! What was this…pro-Pakistan slogans, pro-independence slogans, demand for withdrawal of security forces in the area…did anyone realize that the protests were for women, who were allegedly raped and murdered. Time and again Kashmir has been a witness to such mockeries, where vested interests have used such occasions to raise anti-national bogey.

And now comes judiciary – the order issued recently by a division bench surprised many legal luminaries – I believe some of them must be scratching their heads after two judges ordered the investigating officers – newly appointed Inspector General (Kashmir) Farooq Ahmed and his two “ace” investigators to arrest these four police officials.

Can a Judge Order investigating official to arrest anyone? Well, I guess no and was quickly reminded of the infamous sex scandal of Kashmir when a division bench directed a Deputy Inspector General of CBI Pankaj Singh to carryout arrests of all the accused as per the list circulated in the media. To his credit, Singh refused to carry out the order and stated in an open court that the power of arrests remained with the investigating officer, which is done after gathering all proofs and evidence.

The sex scandal case was taken out from the limits of Jammu and Kashmir jurisdiction and trials were conducted In Chandigarh as it had become next to impossible for even getting a bail for the accused.

In this case, the High Court took away the right of all subordinate courts and said any bail moved for the police officials should be referred to the division bench even when Supreme Court has been categorised that bail is a right of every individual. But I guess the interpretation of law changes when it comes to Kashmir valley, where views of separatists have to be taken into consideration. Then wonder who is calling the shots..

Eh! Not to forget, the famous Narco-Analysis test ordered by the High Court. This part of the order needs to be understood: “We direct the Special Investigating Team to produce those four officers on arrest before the Registrar Judicial on a date and time to be fixed in consultation with Registrar Judicial, High Court of J&K Srinagar for the purpose of drawing their blood sample, on being drawn, shall be sealed by.....The DNA of those police official shall, thereupon, be matched with the DNA profile of the vaginal semen of the deceased ladies....."

"We also feel that it would be appropriate on the part of the Special Investigating Team to undertake Narco-Analysis Test of those four police officers..."

This part of the order was enough to make jump the top echelons of the state police force to go in for appeal as one cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that the poor Dy SP was not aware of the case because of his pre-occupation in recruitment in Anantnag and SP, who was awaiting report from the SHO.

Ironically, while its an order for four police officials, it has been left to the wisdom (which according to me is questionable) of SIT to decide whether it wishes to carry out the Narco-test on the two witnesses, against whom questions have been raised from the day one.

The order reads: “In the event the Special Investigating Team is of the view that those two witnesses....also need to be put to such test, it shall inform the same to the central government...”

So what is the deal…Should the police force learn a lesson and join ranks with separatists and enjoy a better life style. Well readers, I am writing this blog, knowing fully well, that separatist leaders like Syed Ali Shah Geelani are enjoying cool breeze in guest house at Cheshma Shahi, dare-devil officials like Mattoo and Baskotra are sleeping on hard beds of jail.

For your tomorrow, we gave our today… but one wonders what our tomorrow is!!!!

Notice

Dear Blog readers,

There have been certain queries that while the name of my blog suggests that it has to do everything about Kashmir, then why I am venturing into other areas. Some of you have even suggested changing the name of the Blog.

Well, changing the name is not possible. I must admit that the blog was intended to revolve around Kashmir and the problem but certain issues come up and are close to my heart. Hence, I don't mind taking up the same and put across to my readers.

Regards,

A Kashmir watcher

Lt Saurabh Kalia: The story behind his heroic death

''When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today"

All of sudden, in this materialistic world, I forgot a part of my life. Let me take out a leaf out of history and pay tribute to Lt Saurabh Kalia (made Captain posthumously). It was a Wednesday and I was busy making last minute arrangements at my Srinagar office to return to Kargil on the next day (June 10, 1999). Suddenly my office phone rang and it was one of my darling friends from Army calling. His voice was not the same and still reverberates in my ears. A usually smart officer is asking me to call him from some PCO and refused to answer any of my inquisitive journalistic questions.

Little did I know that, I was writing a portion of history of the infamous Kargil war while I left in a hush manner from the office along with one of my senior colleague. Half-a-kilometre away, we managed to find a PCO from where I attempted to call my Army friend. And guess what, the phone was engaged thus not only increasing my blood pressure but also heart beat. Tring tring….the phone is ringing and I just held the hand of my senior colleague as he was making all signals to calm me down.

“Write fast. Lt Kalia’s body handed over in Kaksar sub-sector along with five soldiers of 4-Jat. Mutilated severely. Their eyeballs have been gouged out and noses, genitals chopped off. Cigarette marks on their bodies. Tempers are high…” and he hung up. Tried calling him up again but he did not pick up this time.

What happened…? Was the question from my colleague. Though he was questioning me about the news but I guess he was waking me from a shock I had received after hearing the caller on other side.

After recovering from the shock, I felt so sad about being a journalist. “What are we? Someone has died because of a merciless torture by Pakistani Army and now we are supposed to write a story? What will happen to his family? What if he was just married?”

The dilemma of a journalist and a common man was topping the agenda of my brain for sometime till the senior colleague of mine gave me a “Gita updesh” and asked me to do my “karma”. And no sooner, I was at the telex machine broadcasting the news to the nation and possibly to the world about the supreme sacrifice made by Lt Kalia and his team. Camouflaging the dateline with that of Kargil, I made an attempt to save my source in the Army.

The News was there everywhere. Few Television channels and all international wire agencies were broadcasting and typing in the news. Some of my seniors were calling from Delhi complimenting me for breaking the news and I was wondering whether I should be happy or sad. What are you journalists made of? And suddenly there was a fight between me and my conscience. Though the battle still continues within me but on that day, I was left flabbergasted over the attitude of Army officials sitting in the Directorate of Military Intelligence which send its Brigadier to one of my seniors denying the news. However, he was reluctant to give the same in writing. Here I should thank my boss, who stood by me and showed the door to the Brigadier. And by evening, those denying ended up with an egg on their faces when International Committee of Red Cross and Indian Red Cross confirmed my story.

A contended journalist in me had a smile but a human being in me was still crying for the loss of a young life. That was the restless night for me as I was trying to imagine what could have been going in the mind of Kalia. Was 22 an age for him to die in such a gruesome manner? What would be going on his family? What would have happened to his family members. After talking to martyr Kalia’s father, I bowed by head in respect towards the entire family but what bothers me still is that why did Army attempted to deny the story at the first instance? And why did the Army authorities and those in the Government find it fit to decorate Lt Kalia and his men who woke up a sleepy nation and a sleeping Army.

A Prayer

         Shopian, Omar Abdullah and Kashmir. The only common thing with them is that they hold the key to each other in maintaining sanity. By the way hello readers, its me again. I know that my blog has lost its readership but this blog is dedicated to a dear dear friend who wants me to write (though never insisted so). Well, this friend of mine does not that I wish to save my readers from the torture of going through my posts... Anyways, of late, I have travelled virtually to every nook and corner of the Kashmir valley and met cross section of people. 

Well, I was trying to understand Kashmir's people again. Why do they go hyper over issues? Shopian incident was something which should not have happened but did anyone give time to Omar Abdullah to react to the situation. The very next day, people were on streets enforcing bandhs.And even before Omar could react, he found himself drowned in confusion and chaos from every side. The truth of Shopian can be found only in Shopian and one needs to talk to the neighbourhood of the victims...the truth is there but no one is willing so say that. The doctors who conducted the postmortem on the two victims have surprisingly written no cause of death and privately they have acknowledged that they have found nothing fishy. But still who will bell the cat?????

The irony lies in another fact which has been found in this town of South Kashmir, predominantly a Hizbul Mujahideen militant dominated area and having a considerable Jamaat population.

Ten kilometres from the site of Shopian village lies another dead body of a girl who has been brutally raped and later murdered by Hizbul Mujahideen militants. Barely a few days before after the Shopian incident, Nigeena Awan was dragged out of her home at Kellar, beaten up and executed with an assault weapon from point blank range. Her father, Mohammad Sharif Awan, was ordered to bury his daughter without ceremony; the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, which carried out the execution, also warned neighbours against dignifying her death with last rites.

Hours after her death, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti visited Shopian to stage a protest against the alleged rape and murder of two local women — one of them, like Awan, a high school student. The death of Awan execution did not figure anywhere in her speech nor did it in speeches of clerics who have emerged as the key leader of the Shopian protests. No one has called for the men who killed Awan to be found and prosecuted. No one even bothered to visit her family, even though the hamlet of Pahlipora at Kellar is just a 10-km drive from Shopian.

People, sitting back at their homes in posh drawing rooms, have already started giving numbers to Omar Abdullah for his performance. Some are giving him four out of 10 and some even minus five. I don't hold a brief for Omar but would like to ask these people a question. Stand in front of mirror and and answer to your own self, what wrong has Omar done. He only promised to bring out truth and all he requires to have some time. Cant we give him. At least his track record of bringing out the truth has been 100 per cent be it in Sopore incident or be it a canard spread by PDP MLA about damages in Bandipore.

Omar has come and is aware of the expectations that the younger generation have from him. Let us Give him a chance. Does he not deserve one??? I have never met him but still have faith in him...Let us pray that our Kashmir becomes a heaven on earth...a true heaven. Amen....