An Anti-Terrorist Squad official from the Mumbai office was in Rajkot on Thursday to collect information about individuals involved in serious crimes and having links with terrorist activities or terror outfits.
An Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) official from the Mumbai office was in Rajkot on Thursday to collect information about individuals involved in serious crimes and having links with terrorist activities or terror outfits.
"The ATS official was in Rajkot and we have provided him information related to a kidnapping case in 2000. This is the only case from city where terror link was established," said HK Ranan, police inspector, crime branch, Rajkot.
In the 2000 case, Rajshi Mer and Raju Unadkat, upon directions from Dubai, had kidnapped two businessmen. After kidnapping the duo, the police shot down Mer in south Gujarat. During investigations and following a statement from Raju Unadkat, it was established that Aftab Ansari, Fazl Ur Rehman and Asif Raza Khan were the mastermind behind the kidnapping.
The Rajkot police, in an encounter, shot down Asif Raza Khan while Aftab Ansari is in jail for his involvement in bombing of US Embassy in Kolkata. Fazl Ur Rehman was arrested from Surat a year back. A source claimed, "It is believed that Amir Raza Khan, brother of Asif Raza Khan, is heading Indian Mujahideen and is behind the various attacks in India, including the recent Mumbai blasts."
The ATS, however, claims that the entire data collection exercise was a routine one, adding that, this has nothing to do with investigation of recent Mumbai blasts.
"We are collecting information of various individuals who have terror links or who may have had some connection in terrorist activities. We are gathering the data from across the country," said, an official.
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