SIM card of phone used by 26/11 terrorists traced to Delhiite

MUMBAI: The SIM card of a mobile phone used by 26/11 terrorists to talk to their Pakistani handlers during the attacks last year has been traced to a Delhi resident whose whereabouts are still not known, a witness informed the trial court here today.

Deposing before Judge M L Tahaliyani, a former Airtel nodal officer Sunil Tiwari said that on a request made by Mumbai police, he had made inquiries about the SIM card number used in the phone number 09910719124 and found that it was issued in the name of Suresh Prasad, a resident of Masoorpur in New Delhi.

The SIM card was issued on October 5 last year to Prasad who had given a fake address, the witness said in response to a query by Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam.

The witness said, on November 27, while the attacks were on, then Additional Police Commissioner Parambir Singh had forwarded a written request to his company to inquire about the SIM card and also to divert all calls from the number to 022-23053162. Accordingly, his request was complied with, the court was told.

Another witness, Govinder Singh Bakshi, who owns "India Communication" shop in Delhi also deposed saying Prasad had purchased the SIM from him and personally collected it.

Bakshi further told the court that Suresh had signed the application form and affixed his photograph besides furnishing electricity bill as residence proof.

Investigation Officer Vilas Wankhede informed the court that his team had visited the Delhi address given by Prasad and found it to be fake.

Police are still trying to track down Prasad whose whereabouts are not yet known, he said.