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ATS still clueless in blasts case

Meena Menon

Four cars involved in Ahmedabad serial blasts have been traced to Navi Mumbai

An American, Kenneth Haywood, is very much on the radar of suspicion
Police scotch rumours of arrest of 3 Kashmiris

MUMBAI: While Navi Mumbai has been labelled as a new terror hub, with some leads pointing to the satellite city, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) is yet to come up with concrete evidence that can nail the guilty in the Ahmedabad blast case. The e-mail sent by Indian Mujahideen has been traced to an Internet Protocol (IP) address at Sanpada, and two cars used in the two blasts in Ahmedabad hospitals have been traced to Navi Mumbai.

These vehicles along with two other cars, which were found with unexploded bombs in Surat, had been stolen from Navi Mumbai between July 7 and 14, according to ATS chief Hemant Karkare.

None nabbed yet

Mr. Karkare told The Hindu that the ATS had not picked up anyone in connection with the case and it was still verifying whether the car thefts had any connection with any organised gang of thieves operating in the area.

Experts on the job

As for the e-mail, computer forensics was being used to determine whether someone had hacked into the account, whose IP address was traced to the computer of an American national living at Sanpada.

“Experts are still on the job” and the American, Kenneth Haywood, “is very much on the radar of suspicion,” he said. The American used Wi-Fi, which means that people within a certain range can log on to the computer at the same time he is using it. Police are questioning a number of people in the building and those who installed the Wi-Fi.

Meanwhile, the hard disk of the computer used by Haywood has been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory, Maharashtra. Its director, Rukmini Krishnamurthy, said it would take three or four days for completing the analysis of the hard disk.

Stolen cars were Marutis

Parambir Singh, Additional Commissioner, ATS, said all the stolen cars were Maruti. Two Wagon Rs were found with explosives in Surat, while another Wagon R and one Maruti 800 were used to explode bombs in hospitals in Ahmedabad. One of the car owners, Raj Kumar Oberoi, had filed a complaint of theft of his vehicle from Nerul. Another owner, Nita Madhavan, had filed a complaint from Vashi. The other two cars belonging to Pradip Velhar and Narsappa Nagesh were stolen from Panvel. All the cars were stolen from parking lots.

The Joint Commissioner (Crime), Mumbai, Rakesh Maria, told The Hindu that the city police were engaged in combing operations in hotels and lodges and were questioning people. He scotched reports that three Kashmiris were held in connection with the blasts. He said some Kashmiris, who were in a lodge, were questioned.. They had come here for a job and had all proper documents. The city police had not made any arrest, he said. The Maharashtra government called a meeting with senior police and State officials to discuss the law and order situation. Security in public transport, malls and other places is to be stepped up and all suspicious people are to be searched.

The Deputy Chief Minister, who also holds charge of Home, R.R. Patil, reviewed the law and order situation in the State and has announced the setting up of a State Security Commission, as per the directions of the Supreme Court. The government has also set up a Police Establishment Board, regional police establishment boards and a police complaint authority at the State and district levels.

The Supreme Court had on December 22, 2006 directed all States to set up such organisations. The State Security Commission will be headed by the Deputy Chief Minister or the Home Minister.

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