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Centre orders action against Maharashtra ATS chief

By IANS,

New Delhi: The central government has taken strong exception to Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) chief K.P. Raghuvanshi divulging key information to the media about terror suspects and their links in Pakistan, and asked the state government for action against him, according to an official here.

The government is not happy with Raghuvanshi’s loose talk and the way he is functioning, a top home ministry official said Tuesday on condition of anonymity.

Raghuvanshi addressed reporters in Mumbai Sunday when the ATS arrested two terror suspects and foiled a major plot to blow up state-run Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) terminals, a mall and a market complex in the Maharashtra capital.

He told mediapersons that preliminary investigations revealed that the arrested duo – Abdul Latif Sheikh, 29, and Riyaz Ali, 23 – were trained in Pakistan and were in touch with terror outfits in that country.

The ATS chief also revealed that the two were talking to somebody in Pakistan whom they referred to as “uncle”, apparently their handler in Pakistan. Raghuvanshi said the ATS had been tracking the duo for the past 10 days.

The home ministry official in New Delhi said the ATS chief’s statements to media have hindered the investigation process.

He added that the government has found Raghuvanshi talking to mediapersons and has asked the state government to take action against him.