A day after 26/11 terror accused David Headley described him as an important contact, Shiv Sena member Rajaram Rege on Wednesday said he had a short interaction with the Pakistani-American and he told the NIA everything about him.
Though Headley described Rege as Shiv Sena PRO, the party has said it does not have any post like that.
On his meeting with Headley, Rege said, “It was a two-second interaction what I had with him personally.”
“At that time, he was not carrying a camera and he was not carrying anything in his hand, like a bag or something. He was in a normal shirt and pant,” Rege said.
“The Delhi officials, the NIA came to me. They came in because, they are handling this case. They called me up and they met me. After that, I met them two-three times and they wanted to know what discussions I had with Headley and how and when we met.” Rege said.
“The NIA asked me whether his behaviour was okay, or whether it was dicey. What I did, what he was wearing,” Rege added.
Headley, who scouted the Sena headquarters in Central Mumbai, informed a U.S. court yesterday that he and his LeT handler Sajid Mir discussed killing Shiv Sainiks and a plot to kill Bal Thackeray.
“We have discussed. This man (Reggie) was very important and would have given us access to this organisation (Shiv Sena),” Headley has said, adding there was a plot to kill the Shiv Sena chief.
Rege said he was a member of the Sena but was not holding any post when he met Headley. Headley describing him as PRO of Sena is “his version and not mine,” Rege said.
Rege, who was in Sindhudurg, said, “Headley along with gym instructor Vilas Varak had come to me expressing his desire to have a view of Sena Bhavan from inside. But I told him this is not a tourist place and tourists are not allowed inside.”
On his association with Shiv Sena, he said, “I am just a social worker. Headley met me when I had been to the Sena Bhavan with regard to some social work. As many people were meeting me inside the Sena Bhavan, Headley thought that I was the PRO of the party.”
He said that after his first meeting, Headley had again called him seeking entry to the Sena Bhavan. “But I did not entertain him. I did not have any hint of Headley’s intentions.”
Rege also said that he had never met Rahul, son of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt.
