‘No calls were exchanged between Khadse, Dawood’
CLEAN CHIT? Maharashtra anti-terrorism squad says preliminary inquiry shows no terrorist angle as alleged by a Gujarat-based hacker
MUMBAI: The Maharashtra antiterrorism squad (ATS) on Monday told the Bombay high court that its preliminary inquiry found that there was no exchange of calls between former state minister Eknath Khadse and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
It also said no terrorist link was found between the two, as alleged by a hacker. “The ATS conducted preliminary inquiry. No terrorist angle has been found as alleged by thehacker.Nocallswereexchanged between Khadse and underworld don Dawood, as alleged by the hacker,” ATS advocate Niteen Pradhan told a division bench of justice NH Patil and justice PD Naik.
The HC was hearing a petition filed by Gujarat-based hacker Manish Bhangale, alleging partial probe by the state machinery and seeking a CBI investigation in the matter.
Bhangale claims to have hacked the authentication process of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd in April this year from where he acquired the telephone records of underworld fugitive Dawood Ibrahim.
According to Bhangale’s petition, the information also included alleged phone calls between DawoodandMaharashtra’sformer revenue minister Eknath Khadse.
“The claims made by the petitioner that the information provided by him to the state machinery had been taken lightly is not correct. We are doing the needful and CBI probe is not required,” Pradhan said.
However, he mentioned that while no terrorist angle had surfaced in the inquiry, certain other revelations had come to the fore.
“Certain other serious things have come to the fore during the preliminary inquiry. But those will have to be probed by experts from the city police’s cyber crime cell. The ATS will submit its preliminary inquiry report to the cyber his phone number
He refuted all charges but was forced to resign on June 4 Gujarat-based hacker Manish Bhangale, who accused
Khadse of having links with the underworld don, alleged partial probe by the state machinery and sought a CBI investigation but the high court disposed of the petition.
crime cell of the police’s crime branch which shall then investigate,” Pradhan said.
The high court, after recording Pradhan’s statement, directed Bhangale to appear before the crimebranchasandwhenrequired andprovidetheinformationhehas.
The bench, while disposing of Bhangale’s petition, said, “We cannot jump to CBI every time. We have to trust and have faith in the state machinery also. If at a later stage the petitioner feels probe is not being done properly, he can approach the high court again.”
On Bhangale’s fear that there is a threat to his life, the court said he can file a representation before the police commissioner who will take a call.