Delhi Police commissioner BS Bassi bats for cops indicted in NIA report

NEW DELHI: Asserting it has been at the forefront of the fight against terrorism and that its officers have been doing great work, Delhi Police commissioner BS Bassi backed the special cell, saying that the officers whose names "were being tossed in the media" should be honoured for having kept Delhi safe from terrorist strikes over the years.

"I am yet to get the report from NIA. There can be difference of opinion on the evidence. Our officers have been taking a lot of risks for fighting terror. We have been taking proactive action in ensuring Delhi remains safe," Bassi said. Meanwhile, TOI has exclusively accessed a crucial evidence in the case-transcripts of the telephonic conversation that allegedly took place between Ameen Begum, wife of Liaquat Shah, and a terrorist prior to Shah's arrest. These have been completely ignored by NIA, police said.

One such conversation happened between Ameena and a terrorist identified as one 'Gujjar' on January 24, 2013, around 12.40am. Gujjar tells her, "Wo bhag gaye... army aayi hogi... wo pahuche hamare pass aur fir hum bhi bhag gaye patti side (they fled... Army may have come... They met us and then we fled towards Patti)".

In the second intercepted conversation, Ameena says, "Idhar Khurd ke side se aaye hain... aage pata nahi kis raaste se aa rahe hain... tum apna khayal rakhna nahi to pakde jaaoge (They had come from the Khurd side this time. I don't know from which direction they are still coming. Be careful or else you will be arrested)."

In the third intercept, Ameena asks Gujjar where he is. Ameena says, "Don't come here. The Army is here. Where are you coming from? Stay put for sometime."

In a fourth conversation, Ameena says, "Main yahan aayi thi par yahan to saare militarywaale hain." Gujjar asks how it's possible to which she says she doesn't know. "Mai bas yeh bata rahi thi," she says.

These conversations were tapped by the agencies in continuation of an operation during which they had taken her number on lawful interception after getting due approval from the home ministry. Strangely, NIA has not bothered to further investigate these conversations even though it was handed over the transcripts by the special cell. The NIA has not even mentioned about these chats in the chargesheet.