Love struck: Calls made to wife lead cops to Bhatkal
1 Sept 2013 5:01 AM IST
It was allegedly Yasin Bhatkal's love for his second wife, 26-year-old Zahida, a resident of south-east Delhi’s Shaheenbagh, that helped Indian investigative agencies trap the terror accused.
Thirty-year-old Yasin, Indian Mujahideen co-founder and among the 12 most-wanted terrorists in India, was arrested from Bihar's east Champaran district, near the Indo-Nepal border, on Wednesday, in a joint operation conducted by intelligence agencies, National Investigative Agency (NIA) and Bihar police.
He and his associate Osadulla Akhtar alias Haddi were flown to Delhi from Patna by a special plane on Friday afternoon and remanded to 12-day police custody by a Delhi court after the NIA said their custodial interrogation was required to unearth the larger conspiracy of terror attacks. Bhatkal is wanted in around 40 terror cases and carries a reward of Rs.35 lakh.
Sources in investigative agencies told Millennium Post that five months ago i.e in March 2013, Yasin had sent 1,000 dollars to his wife. 'For the past six months, Yasin's family, both his parents who stay in Karnataka and his wife and in-laws who are in Delhi, were being watched. A few of Yasin's close associates residing in Delhi had also been placed under the scanner,' the source added. Mobile phones used by Yasin's family and associates were kept on surveillance. Officials of investigative agencies had been monitoring the calls to family members.
On the first day of interrogation, sources said, Bhatkal allegedly told officials that it was his phone call to his wife that led to his arrest. Sources said, 'Before Id, on 8 or 9 August, Yasin had twice called his wife. During the telephonic conversation, carried on in Urdu, Bhatkal had reportedly informed his wife that he has sent her money through the hawala route. This was traced to Pokhara in Nepal.'
Sources added that Yasin used to meet his ISI aides in Pokhara, where he would exchange information and take instructions from them. From Pokhara he used to travel to middle eastern countries, using various fake passports made in different names. Even the names given in the passports were allegedly chosen by the ISI. ‘Separate passports were given to him to meet his brothers, Riyaz and Iqbal Bhatkal, who are hiding in Karachi,’ they said.
Sources added that in March, when he had sent some money and clothes to his wife, the investigating agencies had got their first lead to his whereabouts. Meanwhile, sources in the Intelligence Bureau had informed other investigating agencies that Yasin and his IM associates had been spotted in a remote village in Nepal.
'The inputs from the IB confirmed the information of Yasin’s hideout,' the source added. An attempt was made to nab him, but Yasin managed to escape. Locals told investigators that a Unani doctor had been staying there since 2011. In February, another person had joined him, later identified as Asadullah Akhtar alias Haddi. On Wednesday night, Yasin and Haddi were finally arrested.
Bhatkal has reportedly told investigators that he has readied around 100 hardcore associates who could do anything on his orders. ‘Yasin and his associate were remorseless in acknowledging that they carried out bomb blasts to “send a message”,’ according to a source. Investigators have found a laptop and mobile phone from Yasin’s possession which are expected to throw up vital clues in unraveling a number of terror modules.
Thirty-year-old Yasin, Indian Mujahideen co-founder and among the 12 most-wanted terrorists in India, was arrested from Bihar's east Champaran district, near the Indo-Nepal border, on Wednesday, in a joint operation conducted by intelligence agencies, National Investigative Agency (NIA) and Bihar police.
He and his associate Osadulla Akhtar alias Haddi were flown to Delhi from Patna by a special plane on Friday afternoon and remanded to 12-day police custody by a Delhi court after the NIA said their custodial interrogation was required to unearth the larger conspiracy of terror attacks. Bhatkal is wanted in around 40 terror cases and carries a reward of Rs.35 lakh.
Sources in investigative agencies told Millennium Post that five months ago i.e in March 2013, Yasin had sent 1,000 dollars to his wife. 'For the past six months, Yasin's family, both his parents who stay in Karnataka and his wife and in-laws who are in Delhi, were being watched. A few of Yasin's close associates residing in Delhi had also been placed under the scanner,' the source added. Mobile phones used by Yasin's family and associates were kept on surveillance. Officials of investigative agencies had been monitoring the calls to family members.
On the first day of interrogation, sources said, Bhatkal allegedly told officials that it was his phone call to his wife that led to his arrest. Sources said, 'Before Id, on 8 or 9 August, Yasin had twice called his wife. During the telephonic conversation, carried on in Urdu, Bhatkal had reportedly informed his wife that he has sent her money through the hawala route. This was traced to Pokhara in Nepal.'
Sources added that Yasin used to meet his ISI aides in Pokhara, where he would exchange information and take instructions from them. From Pokhara he used to travel to middle eastern countries, using various fake passports made in different names. Even the names given in the passports were allegedly chosen by the ISI. ‘Separate passports were given to him to meet his brothers, Riyaz and Iqbal Bhatkal, who are hiding in Karachi,’ they said.
Sources added that in March, when he had sent some money and clothes to his wife, the investigating agencies had got their first lead to his whereabouts. Meanwhile, sources in the Intelligence Bureau had informed other investigating agencies that Yasin and his IM associates had been spotted in a remote village in Nepal.
'The inputs from the IB confirmed the information of Yasin’s hideout,' the source added. An attempt was made to nab him, but Yasin managed to escape. Locals told investigators that a Unani doctor had been staying there since 2011. In February, another person had joined him, later identified as Asadullah Akhtar alias Haddi. On Wednesday night, Yasin and Haddi were finally arrested.
Bhatkal has reportedly told investigators that he has readied around 100 hardcore associates who could do anything on his orders. ‘Yasin and his associate were remorseless in acknowledging that they carried out bomb blasts to “send a message”,’ according to a source. Investigators have found a laptop and mobile phone from Yasin’s possession which are expected to throw up vital clues in unraveling a number of terror modules.
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