By Md. Javed Shaikh & Rehan Ansari,
Mumbai: The mystery surrounding the reality of Zabeehuddin Ansari alias Abu Jindal, one of the alleged planners of 26/11 Mumbai attacks, has confounded further with a delegation of Malegaon residents submitting a presentation to the National Commission for Minorities, alleging that Ansari had worked as an electrician and informer with the Maharashtra Police. Moreover, it was he on whose information some Muslim youths were arrested from Malegaon in Aurangabad arms haul case in 2006, indicating that the person was well in contact or custody of the state police.
The Malegaon delegation submitted a letter to the commission in which they narrated how Muslim youths are arrested as natural culprit of any terror attack. Commission chief Wajahat Habibullah has forwarded the letter to P Chidambaram, Home Minister of India, drawing his attention to the widespread impression in the Muslim community that they are automatic targets of police action in incidents of terrorist activity.
In his 12th July letter to Chidambaram, a copy of which is with TCN, Wajahat said: “I am forwarding this letter to you to bring to your attention the widespread impression, particularly in the Muslim community that they are automatic targets of police action in incidents of terrorist activity. This is further confounded in the State of Maharashtra by the Abu Jindal disclosure, from which State Zabihuddin hails, and apparently worked for the Maharashtra police as electrician and also informer.”
People from Malegaon told the commission, that even before the Malegaon blast case of 2006, several local youths were arrested in the Aurangabad arms haul case only on the information provided by Zabihuddin Ansari.
Referring to the contention of the Malegaon delegation that met the Commission, Wajahat Habibullah said, “It is the contention of a delegation that called on this Commission from Malegaon that individuals arrested prior to the Malegaon blast cases on charges of stocking explosives were arrested solely on grounds of information provided by the said Abu Jindal, which they allege was invented.”
Zabihuddin Ansari is said to be mentioned in the charge sheet of Aurangabad Arms Haul case as a wanted accused and he is accused in other arms cases also. Dr. Sharif, Riyaz, Afzal and Javed of Malegaon were arrested on 9th May 2006 for Aurangabad Arms Haul case.
Several Muslim delegations in the past have met not only the Minority commission but Prime Minister and other political leaders in the last few months pressing to stop the arrest of innocent Muslim Youths and release of those arrested.
The minority commission chairman has urged the home minister to do something to dispel the widespread impression that Muslims are the prime target of police action in the wake of any terror incident.
Mr. Wajahat concluded in the letter, “This seems to be therefore a case for developing an information strategy to dispel unfounded apprehensions amongst a large section of Indians, which will go a long way in helping build confidence and contribute to developing positive attitudes of mind so necessary both in the evolution of India’s nationhood and indeed in upholding the spirit of PM’s 15 point programme.”
Questions have also been raised in certain section of the media that arrest of Zabihuddin Ansari is the result of turf war between Delhi and Maharashtra Police. Whereas Maharashtra ATS, on January-12, arrested an alleged Delhi Police informer, Naquee Ahmed, a resident of Bihar, in connection with the July,11 Mumbai blast. The Delhi special cell officially protested claiming that Naquee was their man helping them nab Yaseen Bhatkal. In retaliation Delhi Police has now arrested the informer of Maharashtra Police, Zabihuddin Ansari as Abu Hamza alias Abu Jindal, one of the alleged masterminds of 26/11.