A foreign terrorist could plan an attack right under the nose of the police, safely ensconced in a flat he has legitimately taken on rent.
The Mumbai police has learnt this from Lashkar-e-Taiba operative David Coleman Headley, who is suspected to have plotted the 26/11 attack, staying for months in a posh Breach Candy apartment he had taken on rent. So, henceforth, the cops will be keeping close tabs on foreigners living on rent in the city.
After the German Bakery bomb attack in Pune last month, the state government had announced that it would set up a framework to keep track of foreigners staying here. As a first step, the Mumbai police has instructed house and flat owners to inform them if they had rented out their properties to foreigners. “Both the owner and the foreign tenant will have to furnish their detailed information at the local police station,” a senior police officer said. “The decision has been taken to prevent terrorists/anti-social elements from staying in the city in the guise of tenants.”
Manoj Bhoir, deputy commissioner of police (DCP), operations, issued the order on March 15 with immediate effect. The DCP said, “If the person to whom an accommodation has been leased happens to be a foreigner, then both the owner and the tenant will have to furnish their names, nationalities, passport details, visa details, etc, to the nearest police station.”
Anyone not complying with the order will face penal action, Bhoir warned. The violators will be punishable under section 188 (disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code.
The DCP added that with terrorists seeking hideouts in residential areas of Mumbai, there were chances of breach of peace and disturbance of public tranquillity. Also, there is threat to human life and public property.
Citizens who give out properties on rent to foreigners have said that they are willing to help the police ensure that their tenants are trustworthy.
“Our agency has helped many foreigners to get flats on rent. While doing so, we have always followed the rule of getting a no-objection certificate from the local police station. It takes some time, but it also helps ensure that the person staying is trustworthy,” Kaizer Gomes, an estate agent from the western suburbs, said.
Another estate agent, Nitin Nahta from Property Pandits, said, “The move to get foreigners wanting to rent a place registered with the local police is very positive. A landlord always wants to rent out his place to a person who is trustworthy. He does not want to face any problem because of his tenant.”
Comments