Muslim NGOs condemned ATS move and said ATS has once again proved that it is not inclined to apprehend saffron terror accused persons.
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Pune: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) first attempt of releasing a list with photographs of ‘wanted’ terror accused in the form of a pocket calendar has met with strong objections by the Muslim organizations who have claimed that the list categorically avoided right wing terror accused who are also sought by the investigative agency.
The Pune unit of state’s ATS is found to have circulated the pocket calendars titled ‘Wanted’ having photographs of terror suspects wanted in different cases of terrorism and extremist activities.
It is a calendar of the year 2015 having list of total 13 suspects with their photographs – 11 Muslim youths wanted in different cases and two Maoists belonging to Communist Party of India-M. There is no mention of right wing terror accused wanted in Malegaon and other blasts blamed on the right wing extremists.
Courtesy Indian Express
While speaking with Indian Express, Bhanupratap Barge, the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ATS) confirmed that they are indeed circulating such calendars. “We are circulating the calendars among policemen and people. Contact numbers of ATS office in Pune and Mumbai are mentioned on these. Those having any information about the suspects can call ATS.”
However, Muslim organizations have condemned the ATS move and said ATS should investigate and act impartially but by not including right wing terror accused in the ‘wanted’ list it has once again proved that it is not inclined to apprehend those accused.
The details written below the photograph of each accused in the pocket calendar is as follows:
Mohammed Raheel Ataur Rehman Shaikh: A prime suspect in the Mumbai train blasts of July 11, 2006. Alleged LeT operative, he resided at Kubera Garden, Kondhwa, Pune and Thane.
Rizwan Mohammed Daware: Wanted for Mumbai train blasts of July 11, 2006. Alleged LeT operative, he was a resident of Premanand Park, Shivarkar Road in Wanavdi.
Sohail Usman Gani Shaikh: Wanted for Mumbai train blasts of July 11, 2006. Alleged LeT operative, he was resident of Gafar Baig street in Pune Camp.
Riyaz Ismail Shahbandri alias Riyaz Bhatkal, Iqbal Ismail Shahbandri alias Iqbal Bhatkal: Founders and top commanders of Indian Mujahideen (IM). Masterminded several bomb blasts across the country, including German Bakery blast in February 2010 and J M Road blasts in August 2012. Natives of Fatima Manzil, Madina Colony in Bhatkal, Karnataka.
Mohsin Ismail Choudhary: Wanted for German Bakery blast. Alleged IM operative, he resided at Manisha apartment in Motha Nagar, Kondhwa.
Shaikh Mehboob alias Guddu Shaikh alias Ismail, Amjad Ramzan Khan, Zakir Husain Badrul Husain alias Sadiq: The trio are wanted for their alleged involvement in the blast in the parking of Faraskhana- Vishrambag police station on July 10, 2014. Alleged to be operatives of the banned Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and residents of Ganesh Talai, Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh, they had fled from Khandwa jail in October 2013.
Mohammed Salik alias Sallu Abdul Hakim: Wanted for the bomb blast in the parking of Faraskhana-Vishrambag police station on July 10, 2014. Allegedly having links with SIMI, he resided at Gulshan Nagar, Khandwa, in Madhya Pradesh.
Prashant Jalinder Kamble alias Laptop: Alleged operative of the banned CPI-Maoists, he belongs to Tadiwala Road slums in Pune. Went missing in 2011 after ATS arrested alleged Maoists Angela Sontakke and others including Kabir Kala Manch (KKM) artists. Suspected to be a part of the technical team of Maoists in Gadhchiroli jungles.
Santosh Vasant Shelar alias Painter alias Vishwa: Alleged operative of the banned CPI-Maoists, he lived in Kasewadi slums, Bhavani Peth, Pune. Went missing in 2011 after ATS arrested ‘Maoists’ Angela Sontakke and others including KKM artists.
Fayyaz Kagzi alias Zulfikar Ahmed: Wanted in several terror cases including the German Bakery bomb blast. Alleged LeT operative, he is a native of Shivajinagar in Beed district of Maharashtra.
Reactions from Muslim NGOs
Malegaon blasts cases pertaining to year 2006 and 2008 both were earlier probed by Maharashtra ATS. For 2006 case, it charge-sheeted nine Muslim youths but in the 2008 case, slain officer Hemant Karkare and his team arrested right wing accused, including Pragya Thakur and Col Purohit. In its charge sheet for 2008 case, the ATS had named Dange and Kalsangra as wanted. Later, both the cases were transferred to NIA, which absolved Muslim youths from the 2006 case by arresting some more right wing accused.
Most of the 13 men in the ATS calendar are also present on the NIA ‘wanted’ list, so it is not that they are sought only by the NIA. When a central agency, be it NIA or CBI, proclaims someone as an absconding or an offender, and issues ‘look out’ notice, it also sends a letter to different states mentioning that the particular person/s is/are wanted.
It is public knowledge that Pragya Thakur and group was arrested by Hemant Karkare team and that some men were wanted in the case. The ATS, might however, argue that they are not anymore investigating the 2008 Malegaon blasts case.
Terming issuance of such calendar by ATS as one sided action, M A Khalid, general secretary of All India Milli Council said, “Why none of the seven saffron terrorists wanted in various cases appear in the calendar? We condemn such calendar that specifically misses such (right wing) terror suspects from the list.”
“Earlier too the ATS had published a poster with Muslim suspects only that we challenged before the chief justice of the High Court. As a result ATS were asked to remove those posters by the High Court”, he added.
Condemning the act of missing right wing accused from the list, Farid Batatawala of Muslim Front said, “Agencies must act impartially against all suspects and should not shield any suspect.”
Hinting of approaching court against such calendar, Parvez Lakdawala, president of the Indian Union Muslim League (Mumbai) said, “ATS has no legal authority to issue such a calendar. Even if it is so much serious in arresting such terror accused, then why it is not mentioning wanted in Malegaon, Ajmer and Makka Masjid blasts. We condemn such bias calendar of ATS.”
Reacting to the controversial calendar Azhar Tamboli, general secretary of Action Committee said to TwoCircles.net, “It is clearly an attempt to brandish a particular community as an evil. It also implies that agencies have forgotten terror incidences meted out against Muslim community which were blamed on the saffron activists”.
Right Wing Terror accused wanted but missing from ATS calendar
1. Amit alias Ashok @ Prince @ Sunny @ Ashwini @ Ashwini Chauhan – Wanted in Samjhauta Express Blasts in 2007.
NIA has announced cash reward of Rs. 5 Lakhs and LOC against him has been issued by Bureau of immigration.
2. Jay Prakash Alias Anna – Wanted in Goa blasts in 2009.
Red Corner Notice is issued against him by CBI.
3. Praveen Limkar – Wanted in Goa blasts in 2009.
Red Corner Notice is issued against him by CBI.
4. Ram Chandra Kalsangra alias Ramji @ Vishnu Patel – Wanted in Malegaon Blasts 2006 and 2008.
NIA has announced cash reward of Rs 10 lakh. Red Corner Notice is issued against him by CBI.
5. Rudra Patil – Wanted in Goa blasts in 2009.
Red Corner Notice is issued against him by CBI.
6. Sandeep Dange alias Parmanand – Wanted in Malegaon Blasts 2006 and 2008.
NIA has announced cash reward of Rs 10 lakh. Red Corner Notice is issued against him by CBI.
7. Suresh Nair alias Damodar Nair – Wanted in Ajmer Dargah Blasts in 2007.
NIA has announced cash reward of Rs 2 lakh.
Photographs and other details of these accused continue to appear on the wanted list of NIA.