By Rehan Ansari, TwoCircles.net,
Mohammed Javed Shaikh, crime and community reporter of Roznama Rashtriya Sahara in Mumbai, has penned down his homage to slain ATS Maharashtra Chief Hemant Karkare in the form of book “The Great Hemant Karkare.” In an interview with Rehan Ansari of TwoCircles.net, Shaikh, 25, talks about Karkare’s life and profession – and the feelings of the brave cop about Sangh Parivar’s attack on him for Hindutva terror probes.
Why did you write the book on Hemant Karkare?
Being a Crime Reporter I have to deal with Police Officers and thus I knew Hemant Karkare Sahab. He was an honest and secular officer and never budged under any kind of pressure. This impressed me a lot.
He was very tense because of the allegations leveled against his family in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Samna. On 26/11 he called me in the afternoon and asked me about the reports in Urdu newspapers and what was happening in Muslim community. I told him the truth that he was highly regarded not only among Muslims but in the larger secular world. This book is my homage to the great Hemant Karkare.
Mohammed Javed Shaikh
What have you written in the book?
I tried to bring into light his personal and professional life mainly through interviews with his wife, brother and other family members and also his associates in different departments of security agencies.
What did you discover about Hemant Karkare while doing research and writing?
I strongly feel that he was a true secular person and law was his only religion, which is rare among his fellows. He believed that terrorists have no religion and therefore he tracked Hindu organizations along with SIMI. He instructed his officers to track other Hindu organizations who are found guilty in terror related cases. It’s his investigations that brought into light Sanghi Terror, including Abhinav Bharat leaders like Sadhvi Pragya Singh, Col. Purohit, Ex-Major Ramesh Upadhyay and others.
It’s his investigation that laid foundation for the arrest of Swami Aseemanand who recently confessed his role in several terror blasts in the country including Malegaon, Mecca Masjid, Ajmer Dargah and Samjhauta Express.
How is Karkare’s family coping with his killing?
He left two daughters and a son besides Smt. Kavita Karkare, his wife. After the killing of Hemant Karkare, the family was traumatized and felt broken but Kavita ji held them together. Hemant sir was not only a good professional but was very loving and caring for his family.But when he exposed Sanghi Terror network in Malegaon blast 2008 case, he was very disturbed by the allegations against him and his family members and wanted to join National Security Agency.
Did you find anything on 26/11 attack?
Although he was disturbed with the allegations in Samna newspaper and complained about it to RR Patil, Home Minister of Maharashtra and KL Prasad, the then Joint Police Commissioner, Law and Order. KL Prasad talked to the Editor, Samna who replied that it’s a party line and he can’t do much about it. KL Prasad pacified and encouraged Karkare to concentrate on the good work he was doing and invited him for tea but Hemant ji told him to come some other day which never came in his life.
After a daylong duty hour when he finished the dinner on 26th November 2008 he wanted to take rest but got a wireless message about the attack at CST station. He just could not resist to the call of the duty and rushed to the CST.
Is there any politics on his killing?
The politics should not be played on his killing but I also feel that the queries of the People must be answered satisfactorily.
Your views about Terrorism and ATS
I think all the recent exposures about the Sanghi Terror are based on Hemant ji’s investigations as Additional SP ATS, Rajasthan Satyender Singh told me that Hemant Karkare was an ideal for us. His investigation helped us in solving the 2007 Ajmer Sharif blast case.
About the young author: Mohammed Javed Shaikh, 25, is a young, dynamic crime and community reporter with Rashtriya Sahara Urdu daily, Mumbai. Graduate in Arts, Javed Shaikh belongs to a very humble background from Kurla, central suburb of Mumbai. He started writing at the age of 17. He can be contacted at [email protected], and Mobile no.09768885081.