‘Hemant Karkare was killed by right wing outfit’

A petition filed in the high court has sought a re-investigation of the death of former ATS chief Hemant Karkare alleging that the attack on him on the night of 26/11 was orchestrated by Intelligence Bureau (IB) personnel and members of “right wing terrorist outfit” Abhinav Bharat.

The petition filed by Radhakant Yadav, 77, former MLA from Bihar is broadly based on the contentious book written by former IPS officer SM Mushriff. In his petition, Yadav has stated that a parallel operation was planned and executed by Abhinav Bharat with the connivance and aide of communal officers of the IB that coincided with the 26/11 attack.

The petition alleges that Karkare was targeted as he was about to arrest some industrialists, diamond merchants and builders who allegedly funded the activities of Abhinav Bharat.

“The IB, with the help of Mumbai police crime branch, stage-managed the encounter at Girgaum Chowpatty” where one of the terrorists, Abu Ismail, was gunned down and another, Kasab, was caught alive,” his petition states.

The petitioner has relied on the judgment of the trial court in 26/11 attacks case, wherein it is stated that names of Kasab and his slain aide Abu Ismail find absolutely no place in the intercepted conversation between the LeT operatives and their Pakistani handlers.

The government has to file a reply in two weeks.