The alleged mishandling at the police control room by senior cops during the 26/11 terror attacks has been brought out by RTI applications; and Vinita Kamte has woven the information in the form of a book, giving vivid description of the chaos, activists of the Act have said.
According to Vinita, wife of senior police officer Ashok Kamte, who succumbed to bullet injuries by terrorists on the fateful day, and author of the book To the Last Bullet, getting information from Mumbai police was not easy. Officials reportedly blocked information pertaining to calls made to the control room where joint commissioner Rakesh Maria was positioned during the attacks.
Maria had allegedly instructed the public information officer not to give records of calls and wireless messages made to the control room on that day, saying it could hamper investigations, an argument turned down at first appeal.
"Merely saying that information would hamper the investigation does not make exemption. The authority will have to give the reasons how it would impede the process," chief information commissioner Wajahat Habibullah said.
Activists are happy that Vinita, with the RTI Act as a potent tool, fought a battle with the police hierarchy to dig out information, which gives a clear picture of happenings at the control room in her book.
"I admire her for putting so much of effort in bringing out the information," Ajay Marathe, an RTI activist based here said.
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